You can get help by negotiating medical bills.

According to Consumer Reports National Research Center, only 31 percent of Americans have tried to negotiate the price they are paying for a medical bill. However, of those who did negotiate a bill, over 93 percent have been successful at least once in paying a lower price, and more than a third of those have saved over $100 on their medical bills.

Anyone can negotiate a medical bill. It is not just insurance companies that can negotiate these bills. The typical health insurance carrier gets approximately a 60 percent discount, states the Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Hospital Finance and Management. Or if you are not comfortable in negotiating yourself, use the services of a medical bill negotiator, which usually work on a contingency basis. So they are in effect free unless they save you money.

While many find it common to negotiate with a car salesperson or a real estate agent, who you will probably never see again after the sale, it is not as common, and arguably more awkward to negotiate with a doctor or medical professional who you trust to make you well and who may also provide ongoing health care for your family.

How to negotiate medical bills

1) Ask for any discounts on your medical bills if you pay a portion of your bill, or maybe even the entire bill, up front. Healthcare consultant Rocky Fredrickson says that most medical professionals will knock 5 or 10 percent, or more, off your bill if you pay up front as it helps them with their cash flow.

2) If you do not have health insurance, you can get significant bigger discounts on your medical bills if you ask up front. Gastroenterologist Martin Bashir says that patients can save at minimum 50% for procedures that hospitals, dentists and doctors bill to health insurance plans. How is this? It is because medical practitioners are used to getting paid less than full price from those insurance companies. So the reason you can save 50% or more is that the discounted rate that medical professionals give a patient on their bills is still far better than what an insurance company is paying them for the service. Learn what medical professionals typically bill for their services and how much insurers will reimburse them at www.vimo.com. If you know the cost, you can negotiate the price before you see the doctor.

3) You need to ask for a price break before the medical procedure, not after the bill comes in. Many doctors or surgeons may offer a discount on the fee, or a “two-fer” if you are getting more than one operation or procedure done, such as with plastic/cosmetic surgery. Smart Money magazine ran a test, and they were successful in getting 8 out of 10 mental-health professionals to offer a discount on therapy sessions by approaching the medical professional and asking for a break on the price paid.

4) If you go to a hospital and ask for help with your health care bill, you may get a 30 percent discount on the bills you need to pay, but you have to ask for it. It is totally up to the discretion of the hospital, medical office, or CFO as to how much the medical office is willing to give you. Or, if you are not comfortable in negotiating yourself, contact a medical billing advocate who can help.

Negotiate hospital bills

There are some additional tips and methods to manage and negotiate hospital bills. It is possible, and in some cases surprisingly easy, to do this and to save significantly. Find additional tips to negotiate hospital bills.

Example of Negotiating Medical Bills

Prostate cancer hospitalized Ernest Patton for just a few days in 2007, however those few days were enough to push Patton, a North Carolina man, toward financial ruin. The radiation treatment cost $65,000, and his total medical bill was over $100,000. Almost none of his expenses were covered by the health insurance he received through his fast-food restaurant job.

Patton's medical debt recovery began when his sister, who was helping manage his medical bills after he became sick, asked for and negotiated for help. She applied for charity help from the hospital, told them of their situation, and also offered proof of Patton's wages. The hospital proceeded to write off the cost of his stay, and the total cost of the radiation treatment was eventually forgiven as well. Patt, and his sister, both said that they were really shocked that these medical providers would work with you, but nevertheless, the medical provider waived their bills after the negotiations.

Learn how to negotiate savings for other items. More. You can save on insurance, credit cards, and other expenses in addition to medical bills.