Medical bills are stressful, both due to their cost and the health issues tied to them. As if that’s not enough suffering, fraudulent medical bills sometimes add up to the problem.
Fake medical bills can put you at risk of financial losses and possible legal problems. This is why recognizing fraudulent medical bills is a must to save yourself from potential scams.
Below, we outlined some tips to help you spot a counterfeit medical bill and what you can do to avoid it.
1. Identifying fake medical bills
Knowing the signs of a forged medical bill will save you from financial losses, credit score damage, and identity theft. It will also ensure that you’re getting proper healthcare at all times.
So to help you out, here are the tell-tale signs of a suspicious medical bill:
2. Unfamiliar healthcare provider or facility name
The healthcare facility doesn’t ring a bell? Or does the healthcare provider’s credentials a bit shady? In that case, you should take a closer look at your medical bill.
If you don’t recall going to or receiving treatments from such a provider, you should be alarmed. Take your time to research the facility, its reviews, and its credentials. If you can’t find any connection to your latest medical procedures, then you should keep on reading this list.
3. Inconsistencies in patient and insurance information
Wrong or inconsistent information on your medical bill is a big red flag that it could be fake. For example, there may be discrepancies in your address, name, or insurance policy number. If there are any misspellings or incorrect information, you should contact your insurance provider right away.
You should ask them to double-check your records to see if there are unusual activities. From there, you and your insurance provider can take the necessary actions.
4. Abnormally high costs for routine procedures
Fake charges on medical bills are the most common type of medical billing fraud. Some are more subtle and will just go with overcharging in medical billing. Whatever it is, you should always start investigating once it comes up.
You can start by comparing fees from other healthcare facilities in your area. If you think that your fees are too high, you should call your insurance company for an explanation. You can also consult a medical billing company for more guidance.
5. Requesting payments through unconventional methods
You should know that a legitimate healthcare provider will request payment from you through credit cards or checks. So if a provider is asking you to pay on a different setup, you should be extra cautious.
Scammers may ask you to pay using a prepaid debit card or unknown wire transfer platforms. they often use these methods since it’s hard to trace in case the authorities start investigating.
6. Duplicated itemized charges
Having an itemized and detailed medical bill is often a good thing. However, you should be careful with duplicated items or any service that you didn’t receive. Some scammers will squeeze these charges on your bill since most people will just pay and not notice.
As part of preventing medical billing fraud, you should read everything and call your healthcare provider if there are discrepancies. This way, you can have errors corrected or you can fraudulent activities will be reported immediately.
Protecting yourself from fake medical bills
Anyone can easily become a victim of fake medical bills. This is why you should be aware of how to spot them. On that note, here’s what you need to do to avoid getting tricked by medical scammers:
1. Verify the Credibility of your Healthcare Provider
Before you seek any form of medical treatment, you should take the time to know your healthcare provider first. Search them online and read patient reviews, certifications, and licenses to ensure their legitimacy. Also, you should double-check their accreditations in organizations on state medical boards.
2. Check the Details of the Services Provided
Double-checking is necessary for validating legitimate medical bills. Read everything and compare it to the documents you had on your visit. This way, you can see if the bill is charging you for the right treatments.
For this part, you must keep all records of your procedures, medical visits, and treatments. This way, you can cross-reference them when verifying your medical billing accuracy.
3. Review Your Insurance Coverage and Claims
As the patient, it’s your responsibility to stay informed about your insurance policy. Always review your EOB (explanation of benefits) and see if there are any discrepancies between your billed treatments and coverage.
You should call your insurance provider right away if you notice any inconsistencies. But before you do, make sure you’re aware of your policy limits, copayments, deductibles, and so on.
4. Beware of Phishing Attempts
This has been said many times before and we think it’s worth repeating: be vigilant when sharing your personal information. This applies to the personal information you give to your medical provider.
It’s because scammers can easily impersonate healthcare organizations through emails, phone calls, or text messages. Some will ask you for sensitive info through these platforms. And if you’re naïve, you might just spill out details that will allow them to hack through your medical bills. Worse, they may also gain access to your bank accounts.
So next time, avoid clicking links or downloading attachments from sources you’re not very familiar with. You can also call your healthcare provider first to confirm if they are the one who sent you the request.
5. Seek Professional Assistance
If you’re unsure, you can always seek the help of professional medical billing services. These experts know the steps to verify the authenticity of medical bills and what you need to do next.
You can also call an attorney if you think that the fraudulent charges on your medical bill are going out of hand. A medical lawyer can help review your bills and communicate with your healthcare provider properly. And in case of disputes or fraudulent charges, a medical lawyer can represent you legally.
Reporting fake medical bills
Reporting medical billing scams is crucial to nip these criminal activities in the bud. If you spot a fake medical bill, you can choose between two courses of action:
1. Contact your local authorities
The first and highly advised action is to call the local authorities or the state health department. They can assist you in filing complaints for fraudulent medical bills. Also, they will be the ones to handle the investigation once the complaints are in.
Make sure that you provide as much detail as possible when filing a complaint. This will help speed up the investigation and it will also increase your chance of getting a favorable result.
2. Use online reporting platforms
Another option you have is reporting via online platforms like the Federal Trade Commission’s website. This way, you can submit your complaint in the easiest and fastest way possible. Also, by reporting, you can help prevent other people from falling victim to similar scams.
Conclusion
Fake medical bills are frustrating and alarming. Still, there are ways to protect yourself from these scams, so you won’t fall prey to financial losses and other risks.
If you spot fake medical bills, don’t hesitate to report them to authorities. This way, scammers will be apprehended and there would be no more victims in the future.
