Manage Medical Bills
If you find yourself without insurance, the chances are that you have some existing medical bills that have not yet been paid. Knowing that your outstanding bills are getting older and older can add stress to an already chaotic life. Some steps can be taken to manage outstanding medical while you are trying to get your health coverage and income back on track.
Make sure that you are being billed correctly. EOBs can be so confusing that we devote an entire section to learning to read your EOB. The likelihood of a claim calculation error increases when major changes are occurring, such as your termination from your health insurance. If you leave your job on January 1, you should be insured through January 31. Very often, medical claims during and around this period may have processing errors.
Communicate with your providers. Your healthcare provider - a hospital, doctor, dentist, or anyone involved in your medical care - is your partner. If you contact them to let them know of some temporary cash flow challenges, you won't be the first. Creating an open line of communication with your healthcare providers will allow them to work with you on problem solving, whether that be creating an installment plan for you, or deferring your bill due dates until your new employment begins.
Pay what you can. This may be easier said than done, but paying what you can on your outstanding medical expenses can be a sign of good faith. A hospital or physician who doesn't hear from you for months may have no choice but to send your claim to a collection agency and hurt your credit. Don't forget about your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - that money is yours and you can use it for your medical expenses even after your termination.