A trip to your neighborhood hospital is scary enough, adding to your physical sufferings though is the amount you are most likely to pay after you receive the much needed care. For seniors, your insurances and coverage can only do so much. In fact, if you are not careful enough to spot holes on your medical insurance, you might end up paying for most procedures done at the hospital!
One of the most expensive factors in your short hospital trip—assuming that it is not a “long term” thing—must be your doctor’s bill. It goes without saying that the more doctor needed for your procedure, the greater your final hospital bill will be. However, there are ways to cut back your doctor’s bill, may it be an emergency situation or a planned one:
•    Stick with one hospital and your personal doctor as much as possible. If you do frequent trips to a certain hospital for your over-all medical care, you are most likely to be familiar with its billing process and might even be on a first-name basis already with the person in charge of the bills. They, in return, would also be familiar with your coverage—enough to throw you a tip or two on how to cut back on your hospital bills.
•    A costly procedure? Do your research! Get estimates from other hospitals near your home. Of course, you still need to consider the physical state you will be after the procedure so no use in having the operation somewhere far. Also note the cost of the procedure’s aftercare as it should be included in the estimate.
•    Be aware of each and every item that will be included in your bill. If this is a planned procedure, talk with your doctor and ask for his honest estimate for the whole procedure. Also, find out if there are areas of the procedure wherein you can cut back on costs.
•    Always ask for itemized bill so you can review it later on and object if there are discrepancies.
•    Upon your bills’ arrival, take some time to really sit down and review what is being charged to you. Try to remember if these things were used for your care. Check for double billing as it is very common—although not intentionally.
•    Strike a deal with your doctors and the hospital. You’ll be amazed how easy it is to get discounts since there are hundreds of patients refusing to even pay a single cent! Giving you a discount can never be a big deal, you just have to ask.