>>> THIS MORNING ON OUR CONSUMER
CONFIDENTIAL, IT'S ALL ABOUT
MEDICAL BILLS AMID THE
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.
FROM TESTS TO TREATMENTS, HOW DO
YOU KNOW WHAT'S COVERED BY
INSURANCE AND WHAT ISN'T?
WELL, WE'VE GOT NBC
INVESTIGATIVE CONSUMER
CORRESPONDENT VICKY NGUYEN HERE
TO WALK US THROUGH SOME OF THE
BIGGEST QUESTIONS.
VICKY, GOOD MORNING.
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> GREAT TO SEE YOU, AL.
>> HEY, SO HERE'S THE THING.
SO YOU DECIDE YOU WANT TO BE
HEALTHY AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE
OKAY.
YOU WANT TO GET A CORONAVIRUS
TEST.
WHO PAYS FOR THAT?
DO YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT?
WHAT'S THE DEAL?
>> RIGHT NOW THEY ARE FREE.
YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR
IT.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS TWO
POTS OF MONEY.
FROM THE FAMILIES FIRST
CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE ACT AS WELL
AS THE C.A.R.E.S. ACT.
AND THE IDEA IS FOR EITHER A
DIAGNOSTIC TEST OR AN ANTIBODY
TEST TO BE COVERED AT NO COST TO
YOU.
SO LET'S SAY YOU'VE ALREADY
GOTTEN A TEST AND MAYBE YOU PAY
FOR IT.
NOW IS THE TIME TO FILE A CLAIM
FOR A REIMBURSEMENT FROM YOUR
INSURANCE COMPANY.
LET'S SAY YOU DON'T HAVE NURNS,
WELL, THIS IS THE TIME TO ASK
THE PROVIDER IF THEY CAN BILL.
ALSO CHECK WITH YOUR PUBLIC
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THEY ARE OFFERING FREE TESTS ALL
OVER THE COUNTRY.
MAY RUN INTO SERIOUS LINES
THOUGH.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE INSURANCE,
CHECK WITH YOUR COMMUNITY HEALTH
CLINIC.
>> UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'VE GOT TO
BE HOSPITALIZED.
SO GOING IN, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO
KNOW AND BE AWARE OF?
>> I THINK THIS IS REALLY
IMPORTANT.
YOU WANT TO DESIGNATE SOMEONE
WHO IS GOING TO HELP BE AN
ADVOCATE FOR YOU IF YOU ARE THE
PATIENT.
AND IF SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY IS
SICK, MAYBE YOU TAKE THAT
RESPONSIBILITY ON BEHALF OF
THEM.
THE THING YOU WANT TO KNOW IS
YOU MAY BE GOING TO A HOSPITAL
THAT IS IN YOUR INSURANCE
NETWORK, BUT THE DOCTORS THAT
TREAT YOU MAY NOT BE IN NETWORK.
THAT CAN BE A STICKY SITUATION.
SO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS UP FRONT.
THERE IS A.
POSSIBILITY THAT THEY WILL
CHARGE YOU IN-NETWORK PRICES FOR
AN OUT-OF-NETWORK DOCTOR.
THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN
AUTOMATICALLY.
YOU ALSO WANT TO ASK IF THEY
ACCEPT YOUR INSURANCE OR IF
THEY'LL GIVE YOU A DISCOUNT OR
PAYMENT PLAN.
ALSO MAKE SURE THE DOCTORS
TREATING YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE
PROVIDER RELIEF FUND.
THAT WILL RESULT IN A LOWER COST
FOR YOU.
>> SO NOW YOU GET OUT, BILLS
START ROLLING IN.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOOK OUT
FOR?
AND WHAT IF YOU THINK, HEY, THIS
ISN'T RIGHT, I SHOULDN'T BE
CHARGED FOR THIS?
>> YEAH.
THIS IS IMPORTANT.
YOU WANT TO GET THAT EXPLANATION
OF BENEFITS.
THEY CALL IT THE EOB.
LOOK AT THAT FORM CAREFULLY AND
COMPARE THAT TO YOUR ACTUAL
BILL.
ARE THESE THINGS TREATMENTS THAT
YOU ACTUALLY RECEIVED BECAUSE
THOSE AREN'T PERFECT.
LOOK AT THAT AS A STARTING POINT
FOR NEGOTIATING THE PRICE OF
WHAT YOU'RE EVENTUALLY GOING TO
PAY.
ALSO, MAKE SURE THAT YOU REACH
OUT TO THE PATIENT ADVOCATE.
MOST HOSPITALS HAVE ONE.
THERE WILL BE CONTACT
INFORMATION USUALLY AT THE
BOTTOM OF THAT EXPLANATION OF
BENEFITS FORM.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN
THE PAYMENT PLAN.
THE LAST THING YOU WANT IS TO BE
SENT TO COLLECTIONS.
HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
BE ON TOP OF IT AND DOCUMENT
EVERYTHING.
WHO YOU SPOKE TO, THE TIMES YOU
SPOKE TO, AND WHAT YOU WERE
TOLD.
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO STAY
ORGANIZED.
>> OKAY.
WE'VE SEEN ANYWHERE FROM 5
MILLION TO 27 MILLION PEOPLE
LOSING INSURANCE BECAUSE THEY
LOST THEIR JOBS.
JUST THIS MORNING 1.3 MILLION
AGAIN FILING FOR UNEMPLOYMENT.
WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU DON'T HAVE
INSURANCE?
>> SO THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO GO TO YOUR
STATE MEDICAID WEBSITE.
THERE ARE PROGRAMS.
THEY VARY STATE BY STATE.
BUT ALSO THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH
INSURANCE PLAN IS AVAILABLE AS
WELL.
GO TO HEALTHCARE.GOV TO SEE WHAT
YOUR OPTIONS ARE.
YOU CAN ALSO CHECK OUT
HEALTHCARE.GOV TO GO INTO THE
MARKETPLACE AND FIND AN
AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE PLAN.
THE LAST OPTION FOR YOU IS LET'S
SAY YOU'RE ONE OF THE MILLIONS
OF AMERICANS WHO HAVE BEEN LAID
OFF.
YOU HAVE 60 DAYS TO EXTEND YOUR
COBRA.
WHICH MEANS CONTINUING ON THE
HEALTH CARE PLAN THAT YOU HAVE
THROUGH YOUR EMPLOYER.
IT IS EXPENSIVE, OKAY?
THAT'S NOT THE BEST OPTION, BUT
LET'S SAY YOU'RE GETTING
CHEMOTHERAPY OR YOU HAVE SOME
SORT OF ONGOING TREATMENT RIGHT
NOW THAT YOU MAY NOT WANT TO
CHANGE YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE
PROVIDER AND YOU ARE ABLE TO
AFFORD TO EXTEND YOUR COVERAGE
THROUGH COBRA.
THAT MAY BE A GOOD OPTION FOR
YOU SO YOU DON'T INTERRUPT YOUR
CARE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
VICKY, SOME GREAT TIPS.