Tip: Don’t Pay a Medical Bill Before You Get the EOB (Explanation of Benefits) - Assalamu Alaikum

Assalamu Alaikum. Quick tip from someone who’s learned the hard way: don’t treat the doctor’s bill as final - it’s often just a request. Your insurance sends a separate paper or portal notice called an Explanation of Benefits (EOB). It might look like one of those “This is not a bill” mailings, but it shows what the insurer agreed to pay and what your actual share is. Why it matters: - Doctors sometimes send the full sticker price (like $500) before insurance handles it. Or they bill you without applying the network discount they were supposed to give. What to do: 1. Wait - don’t pay until you have the EOB or have checked your insurance portal. 2. Find the line on the EOB that says “Patient Responsibility” or “What You Owe.” 3. Compare - if the EOB says you owe $50 but the office billed $150, you generally only owe $50. That extra amount is usually a billing mistake or an improper balance bill. How to handle it: Call the clinic’s billing office and say something like, “I’m looking at my EOB and it shows my patient responsibility is $50. Your bill doesn’t reflect the insurance adjustment - please correct it.” This approach works most of the time and can save a lot over the years. May Allah make it easy and protect our wealth.