Does Blue Cross Blue Shield cover past medical bills?

Asked by: Erna Ondricka  |  Last update: August 27, 2025
Score: 4.7/5 (48 votes)

Health insurance policies are designed to cover medical expenses incurred during the period when the policy is active. This means that if you received medical services before your policy's effective date, those expenses are generally not covered.

Will my insurance cover an old medical bill?

Once the plan year ends, any old medical bill with a date of service prior to the new coverage effective date won't be covered by your new insurance coverage. You'll need to file a claim with the previous health insurance policy.

Will health insurance cover something that happened before?

Coverage for pre-existing conditions

No insurance plan can reject you, charge you more, or refuse to pay for essential health benefits for any condition you had before your coverage started.

How far back can a medical claim go?

In California, the retention period can be anywhere from two to ten years, depending on the type of procedure or healthcare provider. However, an insurance claim medical report should only look as far back as the injury in question.

How can I see my past medical bills?

You should contact the consumer reporting agencies that specialize in medical records or payments. These agencies may supply reports on your prescription drug purchase histories, medical conditions, data from your insurance applications, and data from other sources.

Health Insurance 101: How Insurance Works In 90 Seconds | BCBSND

34 related questions found

Will medical cover previous bills?

Retroactive Medi-Cal covers unpaid medical expenses from the three months prior to the month you apply for Medi-Cal. If you have unpaid bills from the three previous months, enter that information during the application process. If you qualify for Medi-Cal, you will also be evaluated for retroactive coverage.

What happens to old unpaid medical bills?

Judgments stay either seven years or until the statute of limitations in your state is up, whichever is longer. And here's one more caveat: While unpaid medical bills will come off your credit report after seven years, you may still be legally responsible for them depending on the statute of limitations.

Can you get a medical bill 2 years later?

Medical providers and hospitals have varying time limits by state to send bills, often ranging from months to several years. You are required to pay medical bills, either directly or through insurance, but financial assistance or payment plans may be available.

How far back can you deduct medical expenses?

Are medical expenses deductible in the year paid or incurred? You can include only the medical and dental expenses you paid in the current tax year. It doesn't matter when you received the services.

How far back can you make a claim?

You have three years from that date to make a claim. So, not three years from the date of – for example – a diagnosis or operation, but three years from the date you were told, or could establish, that something related to that operation went wrong, or caused you harm.

What pre-existing conditions are not covered?

Is there health insurance for pre-existing conditions? Choosing a health plan is no longer based on the concept of a pre-existing condition. A health insurer cannot deny you coverage or raise rates for plans if you have a medical condition at the time of enrollment.

What happens if you go to the ER without insurance?

If you have a serious medical problem, hospitals must treat you regardless of whether you have insurance. This includes situations that meet the definition of an emergency. Some situations may not be considered true emergencies, such as: Going to the ER for non-life-threatening care.

Why didn't my insurance cover my doctor visit?

In some cases, the service simply isn't covered by the plan. In other cases, necessary prior authorization wasn't obtained, the provider wasn't in-network, or the claim was coded incorrectly.

How do I get past medical bills?

Charity care - If you still need help with medical bills after health insurance or Medicaid payments have been applied, a charity care program may assist you with the remaining costs. In most cases, you can apply for charity care through a doctor or hospital where you are seeking medical treatment.

Can insurance refuse to pay medical bills?

Reasons your insurance may not approve a request or deny payment: Services are deemed not medically necessary. Services are no longer appropriate in a specific health care setting or level of care. You are not eligible for the benefit requested under your health plan.

How do I pay old medical bills?

With these medical debt management tips, you can climb out from under that debt.
  1. Confirm the charges are accurate. ...
  2. Ask about a discount and negotiate the payment amount. ...
  3. Set up a payment plan. ...
  4. Appeal to your insurance company. ...
  5. Find financial assistance. ...
  6. Use a Health Savings Account (HSA) ...
  7. Look into medical credit cards.

How far back can you claim expenses?

You have four years from the end of the tax year in which you paid the expense to claim tax relief.

How much medical bills can you write off?

You can deduct on Schedule A (Form 1040) only the part of your medical and dental expenses that is more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). This publication also explains how to treat impairment-related work expenses and health insurance premiums if you are self-employed.

What proof do I need to deduct medical expenses?

You should also keep a statement or itemized invoice showing:
  • What medical care was received.
  • Who received the care.
  • The nature and purpose of any medical expenses.
  • The amount of the other medical expenses.

What is the No Surprise Billing Act 2024?

December 12, 2024 – The No Surprises Act, a law that ended the practice of “balance billing” by certain out-of-network providers, was enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 on December 27, 2020.

What happens to old medical bills?

The short answer is that medical debt may disappear from your credit report after seven years, but that doesn't mean you're off the hook. Medical debt never expires. It does have a statute of limitations, however, but it works differently than you might think.

Do hospitals write off unpaid medical bills?

There is no one, clear cut answer to the question of whether hospitals write off unpaid medical bills. Some hospitals do this a lot, some do not do it at all, and there is a wide range of hospitals in between. Many factors go into how and if, a hospital writes off an individual's bill.

How long before medical bills are written off?

The Debt May Still Affect You

The length of time depends on which state you live in and how you communicate with the debt collector. The SOL has nothing to do with how long medical debt collections stay on your credit report. It usually takes seven years for most debts to fall off of your credit report.

What is the 7 year debt rule?

Although the unpaid debt will go on your credit report and have a negative impact on your score, the good news is that it won't last forever. After seven years, unpaid credit card debt falls off your credit report. The debt doesn't vanish completely, but it'll no longer impact your credit score.

Should I worry about unpaid medical bills?

Medical debt can also lead people to avoid medical care, develop physical and mental health problems, and face adverse financial consequences like lawsuits, wage and bank account garnishment, home liens, and bankruptcy.