{"id":18467,"date":"2020-01-06T15:21:48","date_gmt":"2020-01-06T20:21:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/?p=18467"},"modified":"2023-03-06T11:25:20","modified_gmt":"2023-03-06T16:25:20","slug":"your-eob-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/your-eob-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Your EOB, Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve used your health insurance at the doctor\u2019s office or the hospital, you\u2019ve likely received an explanation of benefits (EOB) in the mail.<\/span><\/p>\n

An EOB is a document that spells out what your insurance company will pay for a doctor\u2019s visit, a hospital stay or other medical expenses. Your EOB might <\/span>look<\/span><\/i> like a bill, but it\u2019s not \u2014 even if it includes a balance saying what you owe. If you have a balance to pay, the bill will come from your doctor\u2019s office or hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, if EOBs aren\u2019t bills, why should you care about them?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really important that you keep a hold of the EOB,\u201d says Caitlin Donovan, senior director of the National Patient Advocate Foundation. \u201cWe find a lot of times that billing errors where people get overcharged occur when your EOB doesn\u2019t match your bill.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t let your next EOB get lost in a pile of junk mail. Below, we\u2019ll walk through the basics on how to read your EOB, including the important terms to know and what to do if you catch an error.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who sends EOBs and why?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Each time you go to the doctor or receive a medical service that is billed to insurance, your insurance company sends you an EOB. The EOB is an overview of charges for medical services, and it includes a breakdown of the amount both you and your insurer must pay the provider, according to <\/span>the Department of Health & Human Services<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

For patients, Donovan says, EOBs are a resource for keeping an eye on medical bills.<\/span><\/p>\n

Each time you receive an EOB, \u201clook it over, check for obvious mistakes and make sure it matches the bill you receive,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

When will I receive my EOB?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Ideally, you should get your EOB before your bill. \u201cBecause that way,\u201d Donovan says, \u201cyou know exactly what you should expect to pay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

If you receive a bill and your EOB hasn\u2019t arrived, that could mean something went awry in the billing process.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a chance the provider never billed the insurer, and you\u2019re receiving a bill you shouldn\u2019t have to pay,\u201d Donovan says. If this happens, start by calling your insurance provider to ask if they processed the claim from your provider. If they didn\u2019t get a claim, call your provider and ask them to submit one.<\/span><\/p>\n

What should I look for on my EOB?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Every EOB contains three numbers:<\/span><\/p>\n