Medical bill checklist: what to check before you pay

You do not need to understand medical billing to check a bill. Most of the useful checks are about whether the numbers and dates agree with each other and with what happened. Keep your bill, your insurance Explanation of Benefits (EOB) if you have one, and a calculator nearby.

The checklist

1. Is it you? Check the patient name, date of birth and insurance member ID. A bill on the wrong account happens more often than people expect.
2. Do you recognize every visit? Look at each date of service. A date that does not match a visit you remember is the first thing to ask about.
3. Has insurance processed it? If the bill says the claim is pending, or you have not received an EOB yet, the amount due may change. Ask before paying.
4. Is it itemized? If you only see a total, ask for an itemized statement listing each service with its code and charge. Our free itemized bill letter can write the request for you.
5. Does each line add up? For every row, quantity multiplied by unit price should equal the line total.
6. Do the lines add up to the total? The line totals should add up to the total charges on the statement.
7. Does the totals block reconcile? Total charges, minus insurance payments, minus adjustments, should equal what the bill says you owe. If not, part of the bill may still be with your insurer, or a payment may be missing.
8. Is anything listed twice? The same code, description and amount on the same date is worth a question. Sometimes it is correct (two doses, two sides of the body), sometimes it is not.
9. Does it match your EOB? The amount your insurer says you owe (often called patient responsibility) should match the bill. If the bill asks for more, ask why.
10. Are the codes plausible? You do not need to know every code, but an emergency visit billed at the highest level, or a service you did not receive, is a fair question. Our guide to medical billing codes explains what the numbers mean.

How to ask about what you found

Call the billing number on the statement and ask about specific lines, not the bill as a whole. Phrase each point as a question: "Can you explain line 4? I see the same code twice on the same date." Write down who you spoke to, the date, and what they said. If a line is changed, ask for a corrected statement before you pay.

If you have insurance and the bill does not match your EOB, your insurer can often help too. The phone number is on your insurance card.

Faster with MedBillCheckup

MedBillCheckup runs these checks for you. Photograph or upload the bill: your own browser reads it, so the file never leaves your device. It lays out every charge, checks the arithmetic and the dates, points out repeats, and writes the questions worth asking your provider, each with the exact reason. It never tells you a charge is wrong; only your provider or insurer can confirm that.