California Medical Billing Advocates

MEDICAL BILLS NEGOTIATION AND FINANCIAL EDUCATION: GIVEN THE COMPLEXITY OF THE U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, PATIENTS OFTEN RECEIVE SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLS DESPITE HAVING HEALTH INSURANCE. FURTHERMORE, MANY PATIENTS WHO ARE UNDERINSURED OR UNINSURED RECEIVE GROSSLY INFLATED MEDICAL BILLS DIRECTLY FROM HOSPITALS AND DOCTORS. MANY PATIENTS CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THESE BILLS AND LET THEM TURN INTO MEDICAL DEBT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF PERSONAL BANKRUPTCY IN THE U.S. CALMBA BELIEVES THAT MANY OF THESE BILLS ARE EXCESSIVE AND UNJUST TO THE PATIENT. CALMBA'S MISSION IS TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE MEDICAL BILLS, BY NEGOTIATING LOWER MEDICAL BILLS ON THE PATIENT'S BEHALF USING FINANCIAL, LEGAL, AND MEDICAL TACTICS. CALMBA FOCUSES ITS EFFORTS ON HELPING ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, LOW INCOME, AND POOR PATIENTS. CALMBA STARTED OPERATIONS AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER 2019. DURING 2019, CALMBA RECEIVED 271 INQUIRIES FOR ASSISTANCE WITH MEDICAL BILLS, OF WHICH WE ACCEPTED 161 CASES TOTALING $3.7 MILLION IN MEDICAL BILLS. FOR THE CASES THAT COMPLETED NEGOTIATIONS IN 2019, THE AVERAGE BILL REDUCTION WAS $6,400 PER PATIENT, WHILE THE ESTIMATED COST TO NEGOTIATE THE CASE AVERAGED $350, FOR AN 18X SOCIAL RETURN ON INVESTMENT. AS PART OF THE MEDICAL BILL NEGOTIATION PROCESS, CALMBA DEVELOPS A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE PATIENTS' FINANCIAL PROFILE, INCLUDING INCOME, EXPENSES, AND ASSETS. AS A RESULT, CALMBA ALSO OFFERS PATIENTS FINANCIAL ADVICE AND EDUCATION ON FINANCIAL LITERACY, BUDGETING, AND DEBT MANAGEMENT WITH THE GOAL OF PUTTING THE PATIENT ON A MORE STABLE FINANCIAL FOOTING GOING FORWARD.