Claim

What does Claim mean on a medical bill?

A claim is the bill the provider sends to your insurance, not to you. It carries the dates of service, the codes for what was done, the diagnosis codes explaining why, and the identifiers of the provider and the group. Every EOB you receive is your plan's answer to one claim. The claim number is the handle for every conversation that follows: without it, the plan and the billing office are searching different piles for the same visit.

What should I watch out for with Claim?

• Write down the claim number from the EOB before calling the plan or the provider
• One visit split into several claims — line them up before deciding what you owe
• A bill with no claim behind it anywhere, which means insurance never saw the charge