You won’t know if you’re overpaying for your healthcare unless you look at your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) which lists how much of the bill your insurance company will pay on your behalf, and how much you still owe. Compare this to the bill you receive from your doctor, and make sure they are the same. Many carriers offer online access to your EOB.

These documents can be complicated, especially detailed bills following hospital care. Keep your eyes open for the ten most common hospital billing mistakes:

• The hospital bills the wrong patient or uses the wrong patient identification number.

• The hospital does not submit a bill to the insurance company, but bills you directly.

• Duplicate billing: being charged twice for the same service, supplies or medications.

• Check the dates of your admission and discharge. Were you charged for the discharge day? Most hospitals will charge for admission day, but not for the day of discharge.

• Incorrect room charges: If you were in a semiprivate room, make sure you are not being charged for a private room.

• Operating-room time: It’s not uncommon for hospitals to bill for more time than you actually used. Compare the charges with your anesthesiologist’s records.

• Up coding: Hospitals often shift the charge for a lower-cost service or medication to one that’s more costly. For example, a doctor orders a generic drug but the patient is charged for a pricier brand name.

• Keystroke error: A computer operator accidentally hits the wrong key on a keyboard. It can result in an incorrect charge and cost you hundreds of dollars.

• Canceled work: Your physician ordered an expensive test and then canceled it, but you were charged anyway.

• Services never preformed: Be sure you received every service, treatment and medication for which you were billed. It is wise to keep a medical diary during your hospital stay.

What this means for YOU:

Do not pay a provider’s bill until you have received an EOB from your insurance company. Make sure the amount you owe is the same on both documents. You may be receiving multiple bills from many providers (hospital, anesthesiologist, surgeon) depending on the type of healthcare you received. Again, verify every bill keeping an eye out for the mistakes listed above.

If you find mistakes, contact your insurance company. You can also use a bill negotiation service. These companies attempt to negotiate a savings on your behalf. In exchange, they might ask for a portion of the savings as payment for their services. Here are two such services:

Medical Cost Advocates

Medical Billing Advocates of America