Negotiating medical bills

**Michelle68** · 10-26-2007, 11:59 PM

I only have one more bill to pay from my surgery (the surgeon's bill) and I just received it in the mail today. When I paid my hospital bill, in full, the billing rep told me (after I had sent my payment in) that I should've asked to settle the bill from the hospital before paying it. She said this could've lowered it quite a bit. Dang... definitely an "I shoulda had a V-8" moment. I had no idea they would do that! Now that I've received this bill, I'm wondering if I should ask the surgeon to settle the bill, or if only the hospital will do this. Have any of you done this before and is it common for doctor's to lower large bills if a patient asks to settle it? I definitely don't want to pay anymore than I have to. If it's common practice to do this, how would I go about asking?

--Michelle

**CampCrazyMom** · 10-27-2007, 11:36 AM

I have done this. With the hospital and a collection agency. We owed about $1,200.00 on one bill. We were paying around $15.00 a month just to keep them quiet. I called to see if they would accept a settlement, they asked what we would be willing to pay. I offered $600.00. Of course the person on the phone couldn't accept my offer and had to call me back. They told me they could take $750.00 - I offered $700.00 telling them it was my tax refund that I would be paying from and that was all I could afford. Another phone call later - they accepted it. Sent me a letter stating that upon receipt of my $700.00 my account would be paid in full (very important that you get something signed!)

Same thing with the hospital or surgeon, ask them if they would take a settlement on the amount you owe if you were to pay it in full.

My insurance gets 40% off of Dr's bills - I've called them and asked for the same discount on non-covered services. They've given it to me.

Sorry to be so windy. Hope you can get a discount! Doesn't cost you but a phone call to find out.

**Michelle68** · 10-27-2007, 11:59 AM

Thanks, CampCrazyMom, I'll call on Monday.

--Michelle

**Michelle68** · 10-29-2007, 07:12 PM

I called the doctor's office today and they referred me to the person who does their billing. I called that number and offered $500 as a settlement. He told me he would speak to the doctor and call me back later. Finally, he called back and said they would settle for $500 and write the remaining $150 off as a "bad debt" which he said they had to do since the insurance company had already settled and $650 is the remaining balance. That didn't sound like a very good idea to me so I will just send the full amount later this week. Oh well, it was worth a try. Thanks again, CampCrazyMom, for the response to my previous question.

-Michelle