Many people who receive a problematic medical bill don't challenge it – but new USC Schaeffer Center research shows they are likely missing out on a chance for financial relief. About 1 in 5 people said they recently received a medical bill they disagreed with or couldn't afford, including 61.5% who said they contacted a billing office to address their concern, according to survey results published Aug.
30 in JAMA Health Forum . Most who reached out said they received some form of payment help or had their bill corrected. It's often up to patients to figure out for themselves if a medical bill is incorrect or how to secure financial assistance for a large bill.
However, many people may think it's too complex or too time-consuming – and ultimately not worth the effort. Of those who didn't contact the billing office about a problematic bill they received, 86.1% said they didn't think it would make a difference.
Many people are hesitant to pick up the phone to question the accuracy of a problematic medical bill or explore financial options, but our findings indicate it's worthwhile and typically takes less than one hour." Erin L. Duffy, lead author, director of research training at the Schaeffer Center The study included 1,135 U.
S. adults randomly selected from the Understanding America Study at USC Dornsife's Center for Economic and Social Research between August and October 2023, and responses were weighted to be nationally representative. Overall, about 1 in 4 who reached.