A hospital bills you $8,000 for an outpatient procedure. You have already met your deductible. What is the most effective first step to potentially reduce what you owe?

Medical billing errors are extremely common — studies estimate that up to 80% of hospital bills contain mistakes. Requesting an itemized bill (broken down by every charge and billing code) and reviewing it carefully is the essential first step. Additionally, hospitals routinely offer cash-pay or prompt-pay discounts that can reduce bills by 20 to 50%, and most nonprofit hospitals are legally required by the ACA to have financial assistance (charity care) programs for patients below certain income thresholds. Medical bill advocates and patient advocates can negotiate on your behalf if the amounts are large.