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Linda Brandwin, R.N.
Linda Brandwin is a registered nurse and a medical billing and claims specialist. For the past 10 years she has worked directly with insurance companies to give advice and guidance to the health care consumer. Viewers may send email or write Linda Brandwin at 5500 Single Oak Hill Ct., Woodbridge, VA 22192.
Columns:
2005
Feb 11 Hospital insurance forms can be confusing and unclear
Feb 4 You may have to pay for your surgeon to have an assistant
Jan 28 Medicare pays for hospice care
Jan 21 Hot tubs may not be catagorized as durable medical equipment
Jan 14 Some offices do get it right
Jan 7 Insurance companies usually only cover standard procedures
 
2004
Dec 31 Ask physician about prescription drug programs
Dec 17 Call insurance company to determine primary and secondary care
Dec 10 Comparison shop when looking for an affordable health plan
Dec 3 Choose the health care plan that works best for you
Nov 26 Doctors have the right to charge a medical record copying fee
Nov 19 Most insurance companies allow for second opinions
Nov 12 Office visits can be billed on 5 different levels
Nov 5 Document all conversations regarding your bills
Oct 29 Finding an insurance provider can sometimes be difficult
Oct 21 Hospitals have an obligation to bill in a timely fashion
Oct 15 Medical financial burdens can be reduced
Oct 7 Salaries low in medical billing field
Oct 1 Insurance handbook can sometimes be an enlightening tool
Sept 24 Get more information when questioning a bill
Sept 17 Nasal sinus endoscopys are considered surgery
Sept 10 Watch out for fraudulent doctor's bills
Sept 3 Hospital billing procedures can be confusing
Aug 27 Deciphering hospital bills can be difficult
Aug 20 Some insurance companies use calendar year, others use fiscal year
Aug 13 A medical claim consists of two components
Aug 6 Look into all options before making a decision
July 30 Don't pay a bill you don't understand
July 23 Don't worry about paying a bill until you receive it
July 16 Having blood drawn is a procedure, not an office visit
July 9 Patients responsible for money mistakenly returned to them
July 2 Time limit for medical claims' submissions varies
June 25 Medicare reimbursements are baffling
June 18 Contact a lawyer to find out the laws in other states
June 11 You must contact all involved parties when dealing with claims
June 4 Employer providing catastrophic policy
May 28 Limit insurance choices to simplify process
May 21 Hospital should pay 'stop payment' fee for checks they lost
May 14 'Unreasonable' hopsital charges cause outrageous bill
May 7 Doctor's offices should know who their insurance carriers are
April 30 Hospitals responsible for sending claims to insurance companies
April 23 'Preventive medicine' procedures aren't always covered
April 16 Non-participating specialists can join Medicaid for one-time service
April 9 When dealing with Agent Orange claims, it's best to contact a lawyer
April 2 Overpayment on a bill entitles you to a refund
Mar. 26 Insurance companies can help sort out confusing hospital bills
Mar. 22 Becoming an informed medical consumer will help avoid problems
Mar. 12 Insurance plan causes confusion over home health care benefits
Mar. 5 Insurance companies don't always write-off the difference on a bill
Feb. 27 Some doctors choose not to participate in medical insurance
Feb. 20 Not asking more questions leads to expensive bill
Feb. 13 Hospital collection methods leave mark on credit report
Feb. 6

Insurer interpreting chiropractic treatment as 'maintenance'

Jan. 16

Breast augmentation difficult to justify to insurance company
Jan. 9

Obtaining simple, itemized bill is like pulling teeth

 
2003
Dec. 12 Social security is behind 'M' status
Dec. 5 ABN form is beneficial to all parties
Nov. 28 Supplemental insurance is same as Medigap
Nov. 21 Medicare will pay for some hospice services
Nov. 14 How do I enroll in Medicare?
Nov. 7 No diagnosis code for health problem
Oct. 31 Where can I find information on dental insurance write-offs?
Oct. 24 Collection letter may be mistake
Oct. 17 Research options for reducing mother's bills
Oct. 10 Can healthcare providers charge balance?
Sept. 26 Billers need to explain two-year delay
Sept. 19 Surgeon's office billing practices absurd
Sept. 12 Much happens behind the scenes at the doctor's office
Sept. 5 Why aren't hearing aids covered by my insurance?
Aug. 29 How should I select a new doctor?
Aug. 22 Get hospital to explain $55,000 bill
Aug. 15 Medicare HMO may limit choices
Aug. 8 Who is my primary insurance carrier?
Aug. 1 What does the letter after my Medicare number mean?
July 25 The A and B of Medicare
July 18 "Balance billing" huge problem
July 11 Many factors impact what doctors charge
July 4 Mother has two secondary insurances
June 27 Never pay a bill you don't understand, part 2
June 20 Bankruptcy complicates insurance claim
June 13 Never pay a bill you don't understand
June 6 Patient not liable for unpaid medical bills
May 30 Routine foot care covered if medically necessary
May 23 Comparison shop to cope with higher costs
May 16 How should I follow-up on dead father-in-law's bill?
May 9 Let insurance company get their own money back
May 2 Don't let billing dispute lead to bad credit
April 25 How do I get new procedure covered?
April 18 Medicare covers 80 percent of allowed charges
April 11 Medical billing specialists not immune to problems with own bills
April 4 Wrong codes could lead to denial of charges
March 28 Error rectified with phone call
March 21 Medicare documentation can come from different regions
March 14 Get experience before starting billing business
March 7 Do state laws apply to federal coverage?
Feb. 28 Son's health should be thrust of appeal
Feb. 21 Provider responsible for keeping accurate records
Feb. 14 Doing medical billing from home is difficult
Feb. 7 'Birthday rule' could determine which policy baby is under
Jan. 30 Secondary insurance may cross-over automatically from Medicare
Jan. 24 Can my daughter be denied Cobra coverage?
Jan. 17 Resubmit bills to obtain EOBs
Jan. 10 How does one become a medical billing specialist?
Jan. 5 Flexible Spending Account great benefit despite confusion
 
2002
Dec. 20 Appealing to state could endanger privacy
Dec. 13 'Working at home' jobs may appear suspicious
Dec. 6 Insurance company may require physician's bill for reimbursement
Nov. 29 Options for coverage after retirement can be confusing
Nov. 22 What should I do if I suspect insurance fraud?
Nov. 15 Signing release form after procedure not good idea
Nov. 8 Responsibility for bill depends on hospital's acceptance of insurance
Nov. 1 Request hospital forms in advance
Oct. 25 Is PPO or Medicare primary plan?
Oct. 18 Dentist probably not padding bill
Oct. 11 Is incorrect billing honest mistake or fraud?
Oct. 4 Doctor's bill paid in full
Sept. 27 Does disallowed portion of bill affect deductible?
Sept. 20 Who is responsible for excess charges?
Sept. 13 Allowed billing amount depends on participation
Sept. 6 Is state or patient responsible for bill?
Aug. 30 Little time to verify insurance information in emergency
Aug. 23 More than one way to approach medical billing
Aug. 16 Majority of insurance companies start new year in January
Aug. 9 Patient entitled to medical records
Aug. 2 Medical billing complicated system
July 26 CPT codes available in book
July 19 Insurance policy may not cover bills
July 12 Check billing accuracy with Medicare representative
July 5 Birth control may or may not be covered by insurance
June 28 Doctor's oversight can lead to unexpected bill
June 14 Asking the right billing questions is tough under stressful situations
May 24 After retirement, does Medicare become my primary insurer?
May 17 Referral outside of HMO network results in monstrous bill
May 10 Are charges different for physician's assistants than for doctors?
May 3 Is my insurance responsible for non-preferred laboratory work?
Apr. 26 Where can I find information about insurance for diabetics?
Apr. 12 After being laid off, what insurance options do I have?
Apr. 5 Would a hospital consider lowering my bill?
Mar. 29 My $15 co-pay became $400
Mar. 22 Collection agency is making too much money off of me
Mar. 15 How can I make sure my hospital bill is accurate?
Mar. 8 Are there be different emergency room CPT codes for trauma cases?
Mar. 1 My doctor wouldn't accept my write-off because it was too large
Feb. 22 My aunt trusts her doctor too much
Feb. 15 My doctor's office keeps charging both of my insurance companies
Feb. 8 How do I find a doctor on my insurance plan after a recent move?
Jan. 28 My health care provider is turning my claim over to collections
   
2001
Dec. 3 What are my options if my I do not have my insurance refund yet?
Nov. 26 Do insurance companies limit what tests doctors perform?
Nov. 16 Do pharmacy co-pays rely on amount of medicine?
Nov. 9 Being billed for doctor within an insurance network
Oct. 24 Do claims start at sign-up date or calendar year?
Sept. 11 Is there a point to filing if I have to pay a deductible?
Aug. 31 How do I get a refund since I overpaid my deductible?
Aug. 24 Does Medicare pay for flu shots?
Aug. 14 Summer deductible confusion
July 16 Why are medical bills so difficult to understand?
July 10 How much does Medicare pay for?
June 26 Why different policies within one family?

May 9

 Insurance denied a claim as a pre-existing condition
May 9 Why was I given two different denials?
 
Medical Billing
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