Tracking Medical Bills and Health Insurance Claims Most people with chronic kidney disease generate quite a few medical bill and health insurance claims. This can be overwhelming and very stressful to deal with on top of your condition. Maintaing good finances and staying organized can reduce your stress level. It is a good idea to create a simple system for tracking payments and holding onto important documents. What to Keep Track of: Keeping detailed records about your care can help you manage medical bills. It is important to keep track of: The details of each appointment, including the date and any lab work, tests, or procedures that took place during that visit Name and dose of each medication prescribed and the name of the prescribing doctor Copies receipts for co-pays, medications and other health related costs Invoices from health care providers, such as doctor’s offices, hospitals, or labs Insurance claims filed by you, your doctor, or your hospital Explanation of benefits statements from your insurance company for processed claims (these sometime appear on invoices) Copies of insurance reimbursements received Any and all communication you receive from your insurance company Depending on your coverage it might also be important to keep receipts for all travel, meals, parking and other expenses you incur due to medical treatment Tracking and Filing Information on Paper or Electronically Many people also have a paper- or computer-based system for tracking their medical care information. For example, you can use a calendar to track all appointments and medical procedures. Use that appointments date to record payments, open claims etc. Or, you may choose to track such information electronically. This approach reduces the chance of information being damaged by water or fire. Many insurance companies have websites where you can manage medical bills as well. However you choose to track your information be sure to have an organized system for filing or storing the information. Create separate files for receipts, claims, invoices etc. Consider Hiring someone to Manage Medical Finances for you Sometimes a chronically ill patient can’t manage their health, let alone all of the medical finances that come with it. A health insurance claims assistant can provide professional help for dealing with insurance claims. A claims assistant typically files and tracks claims, reviews medical bills for accuracy, and appeals rejected claims. They also contact health care providers and insurance companies to resolve problems with claims and provides you with advice. Back to Managing Your Care
What to Keep Track of: Keeping detailed records about your care can help you manage medical bills. It is important to keep track of: The details of each appointment, including the date and any lab work, tests, or procedures that took place during that visit Name and dose of each medication prescribed and the name of the prescribing doctor Copies receipts for co-pays, medications and other health related costs Invoices from health care providers, such as doctor’s offices, hospitals, or labs Insurance claims filed by you, your doctor, or your hospital Explanation of benefits statements from your insurance company for processed claims (these sometime appear on invoices) Copies of insurance reimbursements received Any and all communication you receive from your insurance company Depending on your coverage it might also be important to keep receipts for all travel, meals, parking and other expenses you incur due to medical treatment Tracking and Filing Information on Paper or Electronically Many people also have a paper- or computer-based system for tracking their medical care information. For example, you can use a calendar to track all appointments and medical procedures. Use that appointments date to record payments, open claims etc. Or, you may choose to track such information electronically. This approach reduces the chance of information being damaged by water or fire. Many insurance companies have websites where you can manage medical bills as well. However you choose to track your information be sure to have an organized system for filing or storing the information. Create separate files for receipts, claims, invoices etc. Consider Hiring someone to Manage Medical Finances for you Sometimes a chronically ill patient can’t manage their health, let alone all of the medical finances that come with it. A health insurance claims assistant can provide professional help for dealing with insurance claims. A claims assistant typically files and tracks claims, reviews medical bills for accuracy, and appeals rejected claims. They also contact health care providers and insurance companies to resolve problems with claims and provides you with advice. Back to Managing Your Care