Fill in the monthly amount you can keep up with, print the letter and mail it to the billing office. Keep a copy.
[Your name]
[Your mailing address]
[Today's date]
[Billing office name]
[Billing office address]
Re: Request for a payment plan. Patient: [Patient name]. Account: [Account number].
To the billing office:
The balance on this account is [balance]. I am asking for a monthly payment plan of [monthly amount] a month, paid on [day] of each month, until the balance is paid.
Please confirm the plan in writing: the balance, the monthly amount, the due date, and any interest or fees. Please also tell me whether a discount or financial assistance policy applies to this account, and send me a copy of it.
While we agree on a plan, please do not send this account to a collection agency.
Thank you,
[Your name]
Pick an amount you can keep paying
Divide the balance by the monthly amount to see how long the plan runs. A $2,400 balance at $100 a month is 24 payments, two years. At $150 a month it is 16 payments; at $200, 12.
Check the bill before you agree
A plan commits you to the balance as billed. If you haven't seen every charge, ask for the itemized bill first, and dispute anything wrong.
Get it in writing
If you agree on the phone, write down the date, the person's name and the terms on a call log, and ask for the plan by mail or email.
Questions people ask next
Does a hospital have to give me a payment plan?
Policies differ from one hospital or practice to the next. Ask the billing office which plans it offers, and ask for the terms in writing.
How long will a payment plan take?
Divide the balance by the monthly amount. A $1,800 balance at $75 a month is 24 payments.
Is a payment plan the same as a medical credit card?
No. A plan with the billing office is an agreement with the provider. A medical credit card or a loan is a separate account with a lender, which may charge interest. Read its terms before you sign.
What if I can't make a payment?
Write to the billing office before the payment is due, ask to change the amount, and keep a copy of the letter.
For the phone calls
The Medical Bill Fight Kit
A 9-page PDF you print: the order of steps, word-for-word call scripts for the billing office, your insurer, financial assistance and a collection agency, five letters with blanks (the three free ones here, plus a financial assistance request and a payment agreement confirmation) and a call and mail log.
$9 Buy the kit
If the file doesn't work or isn't what this page describes, write to us within 14 days for a full refund.
Bill Pushback