A Zelis survey of 800 patients who had at least one medical billing error in the last five years found that only 30 percent felt "extremely confident" in their ability to identify a billing error.
Half of the respondents to the survey reported incorrect charges of at least $200, and a quarter of respondents saw a difference of more than $500 on their bills, according to a Jan. 10 Zelis news release.
Forty-three percent of respondents spent up to one month getting their bills corrected.
"Our research reinforces that healthcare billing systems are complicated, and bills can be complex and with the potential for errors," Zelis Chief Member Empowerment Officer Michael Axt said. "This negatively impacts healthcare consumers, particularly those with lower incomes or less health literacy. Healthcare organizations have an opportunity to reduce friction in the billing process to support consumers and create a more seamless healthcare financial journey."