When you open up a medical bill your’e usually not stunned by how little the doctor is charging you. Inflated charges, which seem to be the norm in the industry, would be laughable if their implications weren’t so crushing. But an invoice doesn’t have to be the amount you end up paying.

In an interview with The Frugalista, a medical billing advocate says one of the better ways to save money off your bill is to request an itemized list of charges and question them individually. Sometimes you’ll find inflated or downright fraudulent charges that you can request be reduced or eliminated. You can get on your way to enlisting the services of a billing advocate by checking out Medical Billing Advocates of America.

If the billing office won’t budge, you can always ask for a discount in exchange for paying your bill upfront.

Save Money On Medical Bills! [The Frugalista]

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