Medical Bill Negotiation
How can I get started?
Simply visit our web-portal and enter your medical bill for savings. The first time you enter a bill you will create a login ID and password and complete an account profile. This will save you time on future visits. All information you enter on our site is password protected, encrypted, and HIPAA compliant.
How do you reduce the costs?
Our most effective tool in reducing your cost is our years of proprietary industry data derived from our thousands of medical bill negotiations. In addition, we use prompt payment, professional staff, and our reputation for integrity to get you results.
What if I don't have insurance?
No problem. Our service is designed for insured and uninsured consumers who want to reduce their medical bills. Our services enable uninsured consumers to realize the same discounts typically obtained through large insurance carriers.
What if I already paid while at the doctor's office?
We recommend that consumers review the cost of their procedure before they pay for services. If you pay for medical services at the time of delivery, you lose the opportunity to reduce costs through negotiation. Usually, we will not be able to negotiate a medical bill if you have already paid. However, if you have pre-paid a portion of the procedure, the “balance bill” is negotiable.
How long will a negotiation take?
We provide personal service on every bill. As such, we contact the provider and/or the provider’s billing staff to reduce every bill. Under ordinary circumstances, we can reach the provider and complete the negotiation within about 3 days to 1 week. You may log into your account to check the status of your case any time you wish by selecting “Manage Account”.
Can I check the status of my bill?
You can log into your personal account by using your account number and password any time 24/7 at our homepage: www.medicalcostadvocate.com. To check the status of your case, select “Manage Account” after logging in.
What cards do you accept? Can I use my debit card?
You can use credit or debit cards. We accept VISA, MasterCard and American Express as well as debit cards, including those from your Health Savings Account (HSA), Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), or Flexible Spending Account (FSA). Most consumers prefer their credit card so they can pay over-time.
When will you charge my credit or debit card?
We will authorize your credit or debit card to ensure you have sufficient funds available prior to commencing the negotiation. We will only charge your credit or debit card after your provider has agreed to a reduced amount. If we do not reduce your bills, we will not charge your card, nor will we allow the provider to so that you may pay normally.
What if I don't have sufficient credit to cover the bill?
We will authorize your credit card for a percentage of the procedure, even though we will only charge the negotiated (lower) amount. If you do not have sufficient credit or funds available to negotiate, you may still select the payment plan services to stretch your payment out over time. Our services work better; however, if you pay the negotiated amount all at once, it will give us better negotiation leverage with the provider.
Can I use my Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) for tax free reimbursement?
Yes. All you need to do is send your MCA service summary showing the post negotiated amount to your FSA or HRA for reimbursement directly to you, or use your HSA debit card on the site.
Will my personal and medical information be kept private?
Your personal and medical information will be used only to reduce your bill. All information you enter on our site is password protected, encrypted, and HIPAA compliant. We do not sell or provide our contact database to direct mail or telemarketing companies. Please see our privacy policy.
What kind of reduction can I expect?
Typically, the amount we can save for you depends on the amount of the bill, the degree to which the provider is charging a reasonable fee, your insurance status (insured vs. uninsured), and your network status (in-network vs. out-of-network). Our savings typically fall in the 20% to 50% range.
Concierge Healthcare Advocacy
How can I learn about the right concierge service for me?
If you are interested in the Concierge Advocacy Service for you and/or your family, simply complete our contact form. An expert Advocate will contact you to understand your needs and recommend the best MCA consultation or advocacy program to service your family, along with the applicable fee.
How do I get started?
We will assign you a dedicated advocate. Your advocate will schedule a private kick-off meeting with you and your family or advisors. We will further review your needs and customize our services to your specific requirements. We will also establish an ongoing communication plan that matches your preferences.
What information will I have to provide?
At the beginning of our relationship, we will enroll you and your family, asking for only the information we need to properly serve you ongoing. We will ask you to complete a standard advocacy agreement, and HIPAA permissions form for your insurers and providers. These give us permission to represent you. We complete all the permissions for you, so all you have to do is sign. We will also file all documents with third parties. Once done, we can conveniently help ongoing without any issues.
How can I reach my Advocate?
You will come to know your advocate and have their direct private information. Your advocate is available to you anytime for assistance. Just call or email.
On-Call Healthcare Advocacy
How can I determine the right On-Call service for my group?
If you are a broker, employer, group benefits manager, or otherwise interested party, simply complete our contact form. An MCA Executive will contact you to understand your group needs and recommend the most appropriate advocacy program to service your group, along with the applicable fee estimate and potential ROI for using the services.
If you are an employee, associate, or member of a group who would like to have access to On-Call services, please direct your benefits manager, broker, or consultant to our site.
I am an employee with access to On-Call services, how do I get started?
An employee, associate, or member of a group with access to MCA On-Call Advocacy services can contact an On-Call Advocate at the number or email address on your membership materials or the links in your group benefits portal.
When you contact an Advocate, we will verify the group you are calling from and access your benefits information, so we can best serve you. We will then understand your specific advocacy need. We will follow up with an email request for information and any permission form required to ensure we can address your issue.
Describe the process for managing an On-Call Case?
We will understand your needs and set up a specific case in your name. We will work with you and any healthcare third parties to resolve your case and ensure the best outcome for you. Whether your case is solved during the initial phone call or requires follow up, we will summarize the resolution and any savings realized before closing your case.
When can I reach an Advocate?
On-Call Advocates are available during normal business hours between 8:30 AM and 6:30 PM Eastern Time.
Payer Claim Negotiation
How can I determine the right services for my firm?
If you represent an insurance carrier, third party administrator, corporate payer, or self-insured employer group, simply complete our contact form. An MCA Executive will contact you to understand your firm’s needs and recommend the most appropriate cost containment program for your company.
Describe the process to get started?
We will understand your firm or department’s goals. We will work with you to review your claims adjudication and cost reduction processes and develop a customized workflow to better address your organization’s requirements. We will then align the appropriate negotiation skills, data, and technical workflow to deliver a negotiation competency for your organization.
What is your revenue model?
Our approach and fee model depend on your specific needs and claims. We provide fully at-risk services, where our fees are based on a percentage of savings we negotiate for you. We also have hourly and per-member-per-month models. We will customize our model for your firm.
US Medical Tourism
How do I get started or find out more?
If you represent an international embassy, charity, government, or corporation outside of the US and are looking to help patients better access and save money in the US healthcare system, simply complete our contact form. An experienced Advocate will contact you to understand your needs and recommend the most appropriate US Medical Tourism services, along with the applicable fee.
If you are an international family or a US family wishing to help family members from abroad access the US healthcare system, or you have a family member who is already in the US and requires negotiation assistance, simply complete our contact form below.