One major outcome of having thyroid cancer or a thyroidectomy is the joy of medical bills. Not only will you get over run with medical bills while you are exhausted and recovering, they will become a constant part of your life as you move forward with follow up appointments, blood work and medication.
My advice is to start a spreadsheet as soon as possible. Document EVERY medical bill, including the date, account number, amount, and when you paid (and how much you paid).
Trust me when I say this – the medical industry will send you to collections almost immediately. I had bills go to collections that I never even seen.
After a thyroidectomy, your memory might get impacted (a common side effect). The first six months, I felt like I lived in a haze. Thankfully, I kept a detailed spreadsheet of all teh bills and statuses.
Sadly, there will most likely be times when you have to call and dispute/discuss the bills. TAKE VERY CLEAR NOTES of who you talked to, when you talked to them and the outcome of that conversion in your spreadsheet.
Don’t be afraid to ask WHY you got that bill. Sometimes bloodwork, for example, will be sent out to a lab. So you will get bills from places you’ve never been to or heard of.
You will also need to keep track of your insurance and document those conversations.
If you have a loved one with limitless patience, see if they can help handle this on your behalf. The worst part of my recovery was dealing with the medical bills.
Create a system, start a spreadsheet, and digitize copies of your bills so you have easy access in the event you need to email them.
Any additional tips and tricks on managing medical bills after a thyroidectomy?
Thank you very much for this advise. I am about to embark on this journey myself!