Advice on decoding and correcting medical bills

The Los Angeles Times offers advice to consumers on how to understand and correct medical bills.

"People with health insurance who get a medical bill this early in the new year may also get some sticker shock. Few will have satisfied their plan's annual deductible this soon, meaning they'll be responsible for a hefty portion of the bill, if not all of it." Before paying those charges, it is important to understand them. Tips include paying attention to details, learning the terminology, reading the remarks, using customer service, considering a billing advocate and dealing with the doctor's office (Kritz, 2/15).

In a separate article, the LA Times details some of the avenues available to correct billing problems. "Check first with your provider or insurer to see if the problem can be resolved. If it can't, a wide range of groups -- state agencies, nonprofits, consumer advocates -- can help explain your policy or help you file a complaint" (Worth, 2/15).

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This article was reprinted from khn.org with permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent news service, is a program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan health care policy research organization unaffiliated with Kaiser Permanente.