Organizing Medical Bills

The following is a list of steps to follow when organizing your medical bills.

1. Separate the bills by the provider of service name.
2. Place the oldest statement date on the bottom and the most current date on the top.
3. Next, sort the EOBs (explanation of benefits) by provider of service and total amount charged.
4. Place the oldest service date on the bottom and the most current on the top.
5. If you have a supplemental insurance, sort the explanation on the bottom and the most current on the top.

Now you are ready to match the provider statement with the insurance payment statements EOBs (explanation of benefits) forms.
Take the provider bill and look for the service date and the amount of the charge. Next look at the stack of EOBs payment statements, and then the supplemental EOMB's. Place the provider bill on top, then the Insurance payment statement second, and then the supplemental explanation of benefits form last. Proceed with the rest of the provider bills, and follow the same format. Place any duplicates in a separate stack to be disposed of later.

Organizing hospital, physician and other medical bills
After a hospital stay or a visit to your doctor, you may receive many different documents. It is very important to keep these medical bills, payment statements, receipts, prescription information, and claim forms together and in order.
Here are some basic tips that will help you organize this important information.

1. Always ask whether a provider (hospital, physician, home care service, etc.) will bill all of your insurance directly on your behalf, also, if they accept Medicare assignment.
Even if they agree to bill your insurances, you will regularly receive bills, statements, and EOBs.

If the provider will not bill your insurance, you will then be required to submit the bill yourself, or have someone assist you in filing with your insurance company.

2. Obtain a large accordion folder with several pockets in which to keep all of your paperwork. Several plain folders will also work. You will need to label the pockets or individual folder for the following:

Provider of service
Prescription information
Extra insurance forms
Miscellaneous

3. Read each bill or statement carefully. Review the information. Look for:
A. The name of the provider.
B. The address of the provider.
C. The account number.
D. The date of and charge for service.
E. The description of service.
F. Your name and, Medicare and/or insurance information.
G. The phone number to call with questions.



Make sure you understand the bill. If you have any questions, call the number on the statement for clarification.

4. Watching for the service date (the date you received the service) and the total amount of the charge will help you in sorting and organizing the documents related to each provider.

5. Remember to look for the EOB first. This will state whether a charge was paid, denied, or if additional information is needed. If there is nothing for you to do, then file the form in the folder or divider assigned to that provider of service.

6. If Insurance has paid on the claim, then the supplemental insurance can be billed. And, if the provider of service is handling this for you, then simply file the insurance payment form in the correct provider folder or divider.
However, if you must file with your secondary insurance, then make a photocopy of the explanation of benefits form and the provider bill. Print, on the copies, your supplemental identification number, then mail both, the explanation form and the itemized bill, if required, to the insurance company.
* Please note, some insurance companies require their own claim form also be included. If you have one of these companies, follow their procedure.

7. As each provider charge is paid by your insurance, and there is no remaining balance, mark the bill as paid. File together the provider statement, the explanation of benefits form, and the other insurance determination of benefits form, in the proper folder or divider.

8. To keep track of all the payments, make a record of the information on a sheet of paper for easy review. Make a list of the following:
A. Provider of service.
B. Account number.
C. Date of service.
D. Total charge for service.
E. Amount paid by Medicare.
F. Amount paid by insurance.
G. Payment you may have made.
H. Current balance.

Download Payment Tracker worksheet to help organize your bills