Why Insurance Companies Don’t Want You to Get a Lawyer
Posted in: Insurance Issues
KNR Legal Blog
A careless driver rear-ended you. A dog bit you. A doctor made a grave mistake. Whatever your story, the bottom line is you were hurt in Akron. And now you are left with the medical bills.
It doesn’t take long for medical bills to become unmanageable. You would have to be downright wealthy to pay out of pocket for a surgery or extended hospital stay in Ohio. And even if you are filing a personal injury claim to recover compensation from the person who caused your accident, you have bills to pay now.
So, what are you supposed to do? How can you deal with the medical bills? Below, we offer several tips. And if you need help recovering compensation, reach out to the Akron injury lawyers at Kisling, Nestico & Redick. Initial consultations are 100% free, and there’s no cost to you unless we recover compensation for you.
Being hurt in an accident in Akron is stressful enough. But when the medical bills start piling on, your stress goes through the roof. Fortunately, you may have some options.
This is a classic case of “You won’t get what you don’t ask for.” Simply call the Akron hospital or doctor’s office and ask them to work with you on the medical bills. Some hospitals and healthcare networks have policies that will allow them to forgive part of a medical debt if a patient says they can’t pay.
Others may not be so helpful, but they will at least be able to direct you to other options. Remember — it is in their best interest that you can pay some of your medical bills rather than none. That is why hospitals often have pre-packaged solutions for problems like this.
If the healthcare provider doesn’t forgive some of the debt, they will likely be willing to put you on a payment plan. While these plans’ rules vary, they typically do not add interest to the principal amount you owe. And they often allow you to set your monthly budget for what you can reasonably pay.
To set up a plan like this, you may have to submit some financial documents to the hospital.
Communication is critical when you are dealing with medical bills after an injury in Akron, Ohio. Why? Because you need to let the hospital know you are working on the issue. Call the hospital and ask how long you have to pay the bills you owe. If you are waiting for an auto insurance payout or personal injury settlement, you may be able to pay the bills in time. But you need to know how long you have or risk having the bills sent to collections.
You looked at the price tag on the medical bills, but did you look closely? Up to 80 percent of hospital bills contain errors. And some of those errors end up costing patients thousands of dollars if they aren’t caught. Make sure you received all the services and drugs listed. Remember that you might have to request an itemized bill to see a list of everything you are being charged for.
Make sure your health insurance is paying for everything it is supposed to. Review your policy documents and get on the phone with the insurer to get a detailed explanation of your coverage. If you notice issues and the insurer is unwilling to cooperate, an attorney can help.
Many of the above tips begin with contacting the hospital. The following are the largest hospitals in Akron, Ohio:
Any serious accident is going to come with injuries. And injuries come with medical bills. At Kisling, Nestico & Redick, we know first-hand how tough it can be to deal with medical bills after an injury. It’s something our Akron injury lawyers see injury victims struggling with all the time.
We know you need help; let us work tirelessly to give you the support you need. From building your lawsuit or insurance claim to maximize your compensation to calling the hospital and negotiating with the insurance company, we’ve got you covered.
If you are struggling with medical bills after a severe injury, contact Kisling, Nestico & Redick today. Call (330) 869-9007 or contact us online.