Some look like duplicates, many are hard to decipher, and some actually arent bills at all.

This seems obvious, but they look alike, so its easy to be confused.

The not-bills (helpfully labeled THIS IS NOT A BILL) come from your insurance company.

If you see anything on this document that looks like an error, report it to your insurance company.

Trust me, theyll want to know about it.

You may even receive more than one bill from the same provider.

For example if your care included more than one procedure in one visit, youll probably get multiple bills.

Dont sweat it, just gather the bills, open them, and take stock of the damage.

It may not be as bad as you fear.

Those bills represent what you owe after the insurance company negotiated down the price and then paid their share.

Point this out to the provider, and they should take the charge off your bill.

They cant legally charge you for something that has already been paid.

Its your money, after all, and you deserve to know where the charges are coming from.

That way either youoryour partner can discuss your bills.

Some billing mistakes are hard to spot unless youre really familiar with the billing industry.

you’re free to read more of thesecommon billing errors in-depth here.

Whether those errors are intentional or just honest mistakes, its illegal to bill you for them.

Unfortunately, there are plenty of billing issues that are unfair but still legal.

Balance billing is another awful, related idea.

Balance billing is illegal in many states.

you’re able to find acomplete rundown of state balance billing laws here.

Even if the charges are correct, it often pays to negotiate anyway.

Dont just take a medical bill as a flat number.

Many providers are willing to set up a payment plan.

Depending on your situation, you may even qualify for government assistance.

If all this sounds daunting, theres good news.

Its possible to hire a professional to negotiate bills, or to chase down money youre clearly owed.

The numbers on them shouldnt be mysterious and they definitely arent carved in stone.

So pay attention, and you just might save yourself some moneyand headaches.

Illustration by Jim Cooke.