The power of medical bill assertiveness

Toward the end of 2025, I had hip replacement surgery at an orthopedic surgery center. Everything went smoothly, the surgery costs were extremely reasonable, and I was soon back at work.

However, before surgery I had to receive health clearance. While my primary care doctor is through CHM’s Virtual Care Solution (HealthTap), for this specific surgery-related appointment, I went in person to see a doctor.

I used a physician service set up specifically to clear patients for surgery through the surgery center. For 29 minutes and 30 seconds of that appointment, an orthopedic nurse from the surgery center asked health history questions and recorded my vital signs. For the last 30 seconds, the subcontracted doctor came in, listened to my heart, asked a couple questions, pushed a button on the computer keyboard, and was finished. Upon his exit, I jokingly said to the nurse, “There’s an $800 bill.”

However, the bill was no joke; it was $1,250 just for the physician portion of the bill. I called the company and said the cost was unreasonable. The representative spoke with her manager and indicated they would accept $400 if I paid it that day.

I told her that wasn’t good enough. “My credit score is great,” I said, “so it won’t be a problem if this bill goes to collections, and you’ll only receive 20 cents on the dollar. I’m willing to pay you $200 today.” Once again, she talked to her manager, came back, and told me they would accept the $200 as payment in full.

I saved $1,050 with a short phone call to politely challenge exorbitant charges. You can, too.

Here are three tips for negotiating discounts with healthcare providers:

1. Always ask for an itemized or “super” bill and check for errors. That way you can ensure that you are only paying for services that were performed or items that were used.
2. If your provider is a nonprofit, review their financial assistance policy. They are required to give back to the community in exchange for their tax-exempt status and this could help you reduce your costs.
3. Always ask for a self-pay or uninsured discount.
4. If you’re able, pay in cash if it will increase the discounted amount.