A doctor bill was turned over to collections and is now paid in full. Can I file w/ ins., for out of pocket?

Question

By paying the bill, that put me over the out-of-pocket limit. Off hand, do you think I can turn in a claim for the amount (minus the collection fees and late fees, of course). The original claim itself is now one year and four months old. Thanks for any input.

Answer 1

I would check first with your carrier. Was the claim already filed and processed by them - applied to ded or something (you might find out they were pending additional information from you before they can process - givie them the info and this would void any filing time limit as they already have the claim). You can ask at this time what their filing limit is if in fact they never received the claim previously.

Answer 2

Probably not. Most health insurance claims need to be filed in a relatively short period of time. Usually within 90 days but certainly within a year in nearly all cases. But go ahead and file it anyway, especially if you have a good reason for the delay. Do keep in mind that as it was for a prior year it's not going to help your deductible for the current year.

You should file all medical claims immediately, even if your deductible has not been satisfied. That's how they track the deductible amounts in the first place so if you don't file on time, you'll never get credit for the deductible.

Answer 3

Yes you can file if it is within the time period. Most insurance companies change at the end of each year and then you only have a short period of time after the end of the year.

Answer 4

Yes, you can.