Basic EOB Terminology

This is a breakdown of the major sections contained in the Explanation of Benefits letter you receive after a medical provider files a claim to your health insurer for medical services provided. More in depth breakdowns of specific terms will be included in future posts on this topic as we finish out the series (outline below).

  1. Subscriber Information:

This is basic identification information, including the name of the policy holder, type of plan, and member identification number of your insurance policy.

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What is an Explanation of Benefits letter?

This is the first article in a series about the Explanation of Benefits summaries that the patient receives after their provider files a medical claim. To read the rest of the series, please check out the links below.

What is an Explanation of Benefits letter?

Whenever you receive medical services and your provider files a claim with your health insurance, you will receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) letter in the mail from your insurer a few weeks after your appointment. If you are enrolled in an online membership account with your insurer, you may receive your EOBs electronically, instead. The EOB is an itemized statement of the claim filed on your behalf by your provider and gives a detailed summary of the amounts that are required to be paid by the patient. This summary includes all negotiated discounts and reflects the amount still outstanding after the insurer has processed the claim and assigned whatever insurance policy benefits the patient has through their insurance plan. This letter is meant to make sure that the patient is aware of the charges that have been filed on their behalf, thereby decreasing medical fraud and making patients aware of the true costs of their medical care.

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