As health care costs rise, consumers are paying more out- of- pocket expenses even if they have insurance. A way to control these expenses is to research and reduce costs, and negotiate with cancer treatment providers.
Compare costs
Several websites are available which give approximate costs of health and dental procedures. These estimates are by geography and may not include all care such as physical therapy and anesthesia which may be associated with cancer treatment.
- Health Care Blue Book is a consumer guide for health care prices by area.
- New Choice Health compares costs of medical procedures at local facilities.
- Out Of Pocket compares prices for routine health services.
- PriceDoc compares and reserves prices for health and dental procedures.
Reduce Costs
- Don’t duplicate tests. If you are getting a second opinion or have been referred to a cancer treatment specialist, sign out your MRI scans or x-rays from your doctor along with your lab results and take them with you.
- Stay in touch with your doctor by email. It may reduce your number of office visits.
- Shop around for billable procedures. Know the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code for a procedure. The CPT is a universal number which corresponds to a test such as a CAT scan or a lab test such as a CBC. Call labs, clinics and medical facilities and ask what they charge by CPT code. These codes can be readily obtained at Find-a-Code. Confirm reliability of testing facility with your doctor.
- MyMedLab allows consumers to order laboratory tests. Samples are collected at local labs and results are available securely online.MyMedLab may not be covered by insurance and it is up to the consumer to inform their personnel physicians of the results.
See Medications to reduce drug costs.
Negotiate with Cancer Treatment Providers
- Hospitals and health care providers do not publish their rates because rates depend on who is paying the bill. Insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid contract with health care providers for lower charges. If you are not covered by insurance, your bill will be much higher.
- Hospitals make billing errors which are usually the results of clerical mistakes in the billing code.
- Always ask for a specific list of “miscellaneous items.”
- Don’t overlook the obvious. You know how long you stayed in the hospital. You may be billed for 5 days when you only stayed 4 days.
- Ask the hospital finance office for a key to decipher charges.
- Ask, ask and ask for help interpreting your bill. Start with the billing office and go up the line to Administration if you aren’t satisfied.
Hospitals and doctors may be open to negotiation particularly if hardship is involved. Here are some tips for reducing your out of pocket costs:
- Know the average cost of the procedure, visit or test in your area when asking for a bill reduction.
- Talk to the doctor directly
- Start with the billing office in the hospital and continue to appeal to the finance director and hospital administrator if necessary to lower a bill.
- Offer to pay cash.
- Offer to pay immediately by credit card.
- Negotiate a payment plan.
- Barter with your physician or health care provider.
- Hire a patient advocate.Medical Billing Advocates of America will handle your billing problems for a fee.
- Patient Advocates Foundation for assistance with medical debt, insurance access and job retention information or call 1-800-532-5274.
