Are you seeking relief from surprise medical bills or emergency services? According to a study by NerdWallet, over 56 million Americans under the age of 65 will have trouble paying healthcare related bills, with medical debts being the biggest cause for filing for bankruptcy.
Dealing with medical bills can be a daunting task, especially if they’re unexpected. Even if you are covered under health insurance, there is still a chance you could be hit with a surprise bill for emergency medical services or for care by an out of network provider. You might not understand why you’re being charged, and how the rates are being calculated. These problems can be exacerbated if you are unable to pay the amount demanded.
As debt relief attorneys in the New York City area, the Law Office of Simon Goldenberg, PLLC, can help you understand your options for resolving medical debts and getting your finances back under control.
How Surprise Medical Bills Appear
Consider the following hypothetical situation:
You’ve just fallen and broken your ankle. At the emergency room, they tell you you’re going to need immediate surgery. You have health insurance through your employer, which you present to the clerk in the intake room.
It’s late at night, so the orthopedic surgeon on call is contacted to come and take a look at the injury. He determines that your surgery or procedure can be completed first thing in the morning, but you’ll need to spend the night in the hospital to help manage your pain and prevent further damage prior to the procedure.
In the morning, the orthopedic surgeon returns and completes the surgery. All is going seemingly well until you find out that the surgeon wasn’t in your network and is not a participating provider under your health insurance.
This information was never disclosed before the surgery took place and because it was an emergency procedure, you weren’t given another option, and you did not understand the fees that could potentially be associated with the medical services. Still, you’re handed a large bill for the surgeon’s services that your insurer might not cover.
Protection from Surprise Medical Bills
Thankfully, the State of New York has issued laws to help in these situations. These laws can help to protect patients that have received emergency room treatment from a doctor who is not a part of their network, or if they are unknowingly referred by a doctor to a specialist or provider that is considered non-participating in their insurance network. When effective, these protections can potentially help a patient avoid filing for bankruptcy for medical debts.
Disputing Unexpected Healthcare and Emergency Services Bills
If you receive a surprise medical bill, you’ll want to take immediate action in disputing the charge and entering the Independent Dispute Resolution Process. Visit the New York Department of Financial Services to start the process. Once the dispute is submitted, an IDR Entity will review the charge. They have a limited amount of time to decide the outcome of the dispute, including if a settlement will be presented or if the dispute is legitimate. The outcome of the dispute will determine who makes the final payment.
Help with a Surprise Medical Bill
A surprise medical bill shouldn’t push you to become financially unstable and lead you down a road of harassing collection phone calls. If you have been issued a medical bill that you cannot afford, regardless of whether it’s due to emergency care or treatment from a doctor outside of your network, the New York City debt lawyers at the Law Office of Simon Goldenberg PLLC can help you steer your towards the path of relief. We might be even be able to help you avoid a lawsuit for medical bills, or defend you if you’ve already been sued.
If you’re struggling with overwhelming debt from medical bills, emergency services, or other healthcare related expenses and you live in New York, contact us at 877-717-0098 for a free evaluation.