NAVIGATING CHILDREN'S MEDICAL BILLS
PROTECTING YOUR FAMILY FROM ERRORS & FRAUD
BY DAVID BURZYNSKI
Every parent’s primary concern is the well-being of their children, especially when it comes to healthcare. Raising kids isn’t cheap.
According to the Brookings Institution, an average twochild family will spend just over $310,000 to raise a child from birth to age 17 ( brookings.edu/wp-con- tent/uploads/2022/08/Brookings_Cost-to-raise-a-child_inflation-adjusted-2.pdf). When raising children with disabilities or special needs, it costs even more ( autismspeaks.org/financial-resources-autism-help).
The world of medical billing is often a maze of complexity, with medical billing errors, and sometimes fraud hiding in plain
sight. When these sneaky and surprisingly common issues crop up, parents may unknowingly cover incorrect bills for their children's medical care, ultimately creating a significant financial burden.
In today's economy, where costs continue to rise and many families are tightening their belts, it's important that parents are equipped with the right tools to navigate a complicated healthcare financial landscape with confidence.
UNDERSTANDING THE UNSEEN THREAT OF MEDICAL BILLING ERRORS & FRAUDULENT CLAIMS
Medical billing errors, while inevitable, are more common than many people realize. In fact, most bills contain inaccuracies ( beckershospitalre- view.com/finance/medical-billing-errors-growing-says- medical-billing-advocates-of-america.html). These errors can manifest in many ways, some of the most common of which include:
- Double billing: This occurs when a singular medical service is billed more than once.
- Incorrect provider information: Attributing care to the wrong provider can cause claim denials.
- Unbundling: Some providers may mistakenly bill services separately, when they should be billed together.
