Strategy
Negotiation
Our mission is to reduce your medical debt to what you can afford to pay. We excel at negotiating medical debt.
We research the Medicare reimbursement and private insurance reimbursement your provider will accept, as well as what other providers charge for the same service. We also research the cash price the provider will accept. This information is invaluable in negotiating your medical debt.
You should not have to pay an arbitrary amount billed in excess of a reasonable price for the services provided.
We then analyze your financial options and discuss with you the maximum amount you can afford to pay. This is a critical step.
The key is to convince your medical provider that our offer is the most they will ever be paid and that further collection efforts will be both costly and will not be successful.
Your provider needs to understand that debt that can’t be paid won’t be paid; it needs to be cancelled.
People with medical debt often have other debt such as credit card debt, payday loans or other consumer loans. We also have experience negotiating this type of debt and can help you negotiate a settlement that works for you.
Financial Assistance
Nonprofit hospitals are required to provide financial assistance to qualifying patients to reduce medical bills. For many people, it is possible to obtain a discount of or even eliminate the entire bill.
The problem is hospitals do a poor job of making patients aware of financial aid that’s available and make it difficult to apply. For many, the process can be overwhelming. We can help you apply for financial aid.
If you don’t qualify, or if you do qualify for financial assistance but still can’t afford to pay your bill, we can represent you in negotiating your medical debt to an amount you can afford.
Medical Bill Review
Medical bills, especially hospital bills, may contain errors or charges for services that were not provided. Uninsured and out of network patients often are charged arbitrary, inflated amounts far in excess of the insurance reimbursement they would accept.
To make matters worse, reviewing insurance Explanation of Benefits (“EOB”) can be extremely frustrating. We work with medical billing advocates to review your bills and EOB to be sure they accurately reflect what you should have to pay.
Insurance Denials
Insurance companies are notorious for unjustified denials of pre authorization requests and insurance claims even though the treatment or medication is recommended by your doctor
This is extremely frustrating with the result that most people won’t challenge the denial and end up with medical debt or foregoing needed medical care. This practice is unconscionable.
We work with healthcare advocates who have the expertise to help you fill an appeal.
Harassment by Debt Collectors
We often recommend a consultation with a consumer law attorney to stop harassment by debt collectors. Usually there is no charge for the initial consultation. You may even have a claim for damages.
These cases are typically handled on a contingent fee basis with the debt collector required to pay your attorney fees if you are successful. Filing an action for damages against the debt collector gives us tremendous leverage in negotiating a settlement of your debt.
Debts in Collection
We have been very successful negotiating bills in collection, even after a lawsuit has been filed.
You really need to be proactive. Doing nothing is not an option; the debt will not just go away. If a lawsuit has been filed, you need to immediately contact an attorney to file an answer; otherwise, a default judgment will be entered.
Then you risk having your wages garnished, a lien filed against your home and other assets seized to satisfy the judgment. Unfortunately, if a default judgment is entered, the only option for most people may be to file bankruptcy. That should never happen.
We can recommend an attorney that specializes in defending debt collection actions. And we will continue to help you negotiate a settlement. Filing an answer to the complaint lets the creditor know further collection efforts will be costly.
If necessary as a last resort, we can refer you to a bankruptcy attorney to review what you can do to protect your property.
Our Process & Fees
There is no charge for our initial consultation. We will provide an overview of the services we can provide and answer any questions you have. If necessary, we will refer you to advocates that provide specialized services such as appealing an insurance denial.
If you decide to retain us, we charge a consulting fee of $200 to review your medical debt and financial situation to explore options and determine the best strategy for you.
This includes setting a target settlement amount and is an important first step. If you qualify for financial assistance we will help you apply.
If you have a hospital bill, which often contain errors, we recommend a review of the bill and insurance explanation of benefits to be sure they are correct. The cost is usually $300 but may be more in complex cases. We will discuss this with you and get your approval in advance.
Our fee for negotiating your medical debt is contingent on getting the debt reduced to an amount you can afford. The fee is 20% of the amount the debt is reduced and payable only if you approve the terms of any settlement we negotiate. However, the fee will never exceed $2,000.
If you are not able to pay our fees, no worries; just let us know and we’ll try to work out a payment arrangement that works for you. We really do want to eliminate medical debt.
Disclaimer
Nothing in this website is intended nor should it be considered to be legal advice. You should consult an attorney before agreeing to any debt settlement.