Older adults, who typically have health insurance coverage, face issues with inaccurate medical billing and collection. Despite 98 percent of adults aged 65 and above having insurance, nearly four million reported unpaid medical bills in 2020. The complex billing system for older adults increases the likelihood of errors and inaccurate bills, affecting their health and financial security. Millions of older adults, specifically those aged 65 and above, are dually eligible beneficiaries covered by both Medicare and Medicaid. While they should have minimal out-of-pocket costs for Medicare-covered care, providers are prohibited by federal and state laws from billing certain dually eligible beneficiaries beyond a nominal copay. However, inaccurate medical bills are often sent to collectors and credit reporting companies, posing significant consequences for older adults. Insufficient resources are allocated to prevent, identify, and correct errors in the medical billing and collection system.
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