Bankrate.com reports that the 8 Most Common Hospital Billing Errors and how to combat them:
- Duplicate billing:
Make sure you haven't been charged twice for the same service, supplies or medications. - Number of days in hospital:
Check the dates of your admission and discharge. Were you charged for the discharge day? Most hospitals will charge for admission day, but not for day of discharge. - Incorrect room charges:
If you were in a semi-private room, make sure you're not being charged for a private. - Operating-room time:
It's not uncommon for hospitals to bill for more time than you actually used. Compare the charge with your anesthesiologist's records. - Up coding:
Hospitals often shift the charge for a lower-cost service or medication to one that's more costly. For example, a doctor orders a generic drug, but the patient is charged for a pricier brand name. - Keystroke error:
A computer operator accidentally hits the wrong key on a keyboard. It can cost you hundreds of dollars and result in an incorrect charge for a service you didn't get. - Canceled work:
Your physician ordered an expensive test and then canceled it, but you were charged anyway. - Services never rendered:
Did you get every service, treatment and medication for which you are being billed? Here's where your log will come in handy.