Why did I get two separate medical bills?
Asked by: Prof. Wilfred McClure | Last update: September 20, 2025Score: 4.6/5 (12 votes)
Why am I getting two different hospital bills?
It is completely normal and expected to be billed separately by the hospital and the ER physician, however, you also need to check with your insurance company. If they got the claim from the physician, you should have received an explanation of benefits detailing your responsibility.
Why did my medical bill double?
Double billing, where medical providers charge for the same service more than once, often occurs due to errors, lack of oversight, or intentional fraud. These issues can arise from complex billing systems, administrative mistakes, or deliberate attempts to increase revenue.
What is the law on unpaid medical bills in Georgia?
Unpaid medical bills have brought countless families to the verge of bankruptcy. Hospitals can sue you for outstanding medical bills. In Georgia, the contractual statute of limitations is 6 years. The statute of limitations on medical debt is calculated from the date of your last completed payment.
What is split billing in medical billing?
Split billing is the division of a bill for service into two or more parts. Bills may be split to divide work between clients, payers or for reimbursement to different service providers for performing a shared service.
Why Do I Have 2 Separate Statements For 1 Visit? Emory Billing
What is dual billing in healthcare?
Double billing: Companies cannot attempt to collect on medical bills that have already been paid by the consumer, insurance, or a government program such as Medicare or Medicaid. This practice can coerce consumers into paying twice for the same service, causing significant financial harm.
What is separate billing?
Doctors who provide specialized services in a hospital generally bill for their services independently of the bill for the hospital's services using an arrangement known as separate billing.
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.
Why am I getting a medical bill 2 years later?
Medical providers are typically allowed 1-3 years (depending on state laws) to submit claims and bill patients if the insurer denies payment. That said, the older the bill, the higher chance it contains errors or charges for services you didn't actually receive.
How can I get out of unpaid medical bills?
- Review your bills. ...
- Negotiate your medical costs. ...
- See if you qualify for an income-driven hardship plan. ...
- Look for financial assistance or charity care programs. ...
- Consider a payment plan. ...
- Use medical credit cards. ...
- Consider a medical bill advocate.
Is double billing illegal?
Double billing is one of the most common billing mistakes that lead to healthcare fraud charges, along with unbundling and upcoding.
How do you avoid double billing?
If both professionals charge for overlapping time without a clear distinction, it may lead to double billing concerns. To avoid this, firms should ensure clear communication and structured billing practices that track individual contributions accurately.
What is a duplicate in medical billing?
A duplicate denial indicates more than one claim was submitted for the same service, for the same patient, for the same date of service. In most instances, the claim was already processed and paid, or it is an exact duplicate of a previously submitted claim.
Can you sue a hospital for double billing?
Yes, you can sue a hospital for false billing. First, there are a series of internal challenges and appeals that you can undergo with the hospital.
Why is the hospital charging me twice?
In double billing, the provider sends a bill to both Medicaid and the private insurance company. Sometimes the provider may even send the same bill to the insured patient. In some cases, two providers may ask for payment in the name of the same patient for the same procedure on the same date.
How much do most ER visits cost?
Average ER visit cost
An ER visit costs $1,500 to $3,000 on average without insurance, with most people spending about $2,100 for an urgent, non-life-threatening health issue. The cost of an emergency room visit depends on the severity of the condition and the tests, treatments, and medications needed to treat it.
Can you ignore medical bills?
Well, no. Depending on the state, hospitals and providers could still sue, foreclose, or affect the chance of a person getting hired or being able to rent an apartment. “All the other ways to collect continue,” a CFPB official told me.
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 often do hospitals sue for unpaid bills?
A smaller number (about 25%) sell patients' debts to debt collectors and about 20% deny nonemergency care to people with outstanding debt. More than two-thirds of hospitals in the sample sue patients or take other legal action against them.
Do unpaid medical bills eventually go away?
It takes seven years for medical debt to disappear from your credit report. And even then, the debt never actually goes away. If you've had a recent hospital stay or an unpleasant visit to your doctor, worrying about the credit bureaus is likely the last thing you want to do.
How much is a hospital bill without insurance?
The average per-day hospital cost in the U.S. is $2,883, with California ($4,181) the most expensive, and Mississippi ($1,305) the least. The average hospital stay is 4.6 days, at an average cost of $13,262. If surgery is involved, hospital costs soar through the roof.
What is the new law about medical bills on credit reports?
On January 7, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) published a final Rule (the “Rule”) that prohibits consumer reporting agencies from including individuals' medical debt on consumer credit reports.
Why did I get two separate hospital bills?
Please note that you may receive more than one bill for services received at the hospital. Physician charges, may include bills for Radiologists, Anesthesiologists, Cardiologists, Surgeons and Pathologists, and will be billed separately. Physicians are independent of the hospital and bill for their services separately.
What is double billing in healthcare?
In a double billing scheme, a provider bills multiple times for the same medical services. Sometimes providers bill the same party (e.g., the government) multiple times for the same services. To avoid detection, they can alter the date of the service, its description, or the name of the patient or provider.
What is split medical billing?
As we've discussed in previous posts, split/shared billing occurs when multiple providers, typically a physician and an advanced practice provider (APP), are involved jointly in hospital evaluation and management (E&M) services, each providing a portion of the service.