Can You Fight a Medicare Demand Letter?

 Posted on January 10, 2025 in Medicare Repayment

Getting a letter in the mail from Medicare demanding payment can be confusing, frustrating, and overwhelming. What is a Medicare demand letter? What are you supposed to do with it? What happens if you ignore it? 

Most people have these questions after finding such a letter – also known as a Medicare Conditional Payment Letter, Medicare lien, or Medicare conditional payment notice – in their mailbox and are often afraid they may have to pay back money they simply do not have. 

If you have gotten such a letter, contact the East St. Louis, IL Medicare Conditional Payment Letter attorney at The Law Offices of Joseph J. Bogdan, Inc.. We have dealt with these before and are ready to help you, too. 

What Is a Medicare Conditional Payment Letter?

A Medicare Conditional Payment Letter (CPL) gives details for your Medicare Secondary Payer Recovery Plan, which is the process from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) asking for money Medicare believes it should recover from another insurance provider. 

This typically happens after a personal injury settlement or judgment, where Medicare already covered medical expenses that should have been paid by someone besides the patient, such as an insurance company or workers' compensation program. 

The CPL letter gives details about the amount Medicare believes someone owes and provides a timeline for payment.

How Should You Respond to a Medicare Demand Letter?

Acting quickly is essential when responding to a Medicare demand letter. Follow these steps:

• Read the letter carefully: Carefully review the charges to ensure they are correct. Mistakes in billing or calculations are common.

• Request a Waiver of Recovery: If you believe the letter is incorrect, file an appeal with BCRC within the specified deadline (usually 120 days).

• Argue your case: Provide evidence the charges are wrong or that you should not have to repay Medicare, such as errors in Medicare's calculations, undue hardship, or other reasons you need to keep the funds. This is where an attorney can be especially useful.

• Meet deadlines: Failing to meet the deadlines in the letter can escalate the issue and lead to further penalties.

Can I Ignore a Medicare Demand Letter? 

Ignoring a Medicare Conditional Payment Notice can result in serious consequences. Medicare may send the debt to the Department of Treasury for collection, which has the power to garnish your wages or withhold tax refunds. 

Worse, Medicare adds interest to unpaid bills, increasing your potential financial burden. Not addressing the issue right away can also make it harder to negotiate future settlements or benefits.

How Can a Lawyer Help You Fight a Medicare Demand Letter?

A Kankakee, IL attorney for appealing Medicare repayment letters can provide the help you need when addressing a demand letter. A good attorney will make sure the details of the billing are correct, talk to Medicare on your behalf, file an appeal, make sure you meet deadlines, and negotiate a solution. In some cases, an attorney can lower or erase the repayment Medicare is asking for. 

Contact a Rockford, IL Medicare Demand Letter Lawyer

At best, a Medicare demand letter presents yet another headache you have to deal with. At worst, it can mean losing money you need to move forward after a serious injury. If you have received a Medicare repayment letter, do not panic. You do not have to manage the situation on your own. 

Instead, contact the Peoria, IL medicare demand letter attorney with The Law Offices of Joseph J. Bogdan, Inc. to learn how we help our clients maximize their chances of beating unfair Medicare demand letters. Mr. Jay Bogdan is the attorney you need for fighting Medicare repayment letters. He is experienced and cares about what happens to his clients. Call us today at 630-310-1267.