The following list explains each element of your medical bill with an in-depth description. Just to be clear, this is different from an Explanation of Benefits (EOB). An EOB is a statement from your insurance company about what will or will not be covered.
- Statement Date: The date your healthcare provider printed the bill.
- Account Number: This is your own unique account number. It’s typically needed when paying a bill online and when discussing medical bills with your healthcare provider’s billing office.
- Service Date: Your bill includes a column listing the dates you received each medical service.
- Description: This is a short phrase that explains the service or supplies you received.
- Charges: This is the full price of the services or supplies you received before insurance has been factored in.
- Billed Charges: This is the total amount charged directly to either you or your insurance provider.
- Adjustment: This is the amount the healthcare provider has agreed not to charge.
- Insurance Payments: The amount your health insurance provider has already paid.
- Patient Payments: The amount you are responsible to pay.
- Balance / Amount Due: The amount currently owed the healthcare provider.
- Payable to: This is the organization you should address check payments to.
- Service code / Current Procedural Terminology (CPT): Healthcare providers use a standardized code to identify the exact services and supplies you received during your appointment.
Now that the terminology has been defined, let’s take a look at steps every patient can take to better understand if their healthcare bill is correct.
