Getty ImagesConsumers may feel their medical bills are unyielding, inflexible, set in stone. About 26% of people who called because they disagreed with a charge or couldn't afford to pay it got their medical bill corrected after the outreach, according to the study, published in August. About 1 out of 5 respondents reported receiving a medical bill with which they disagreed or could not afford within the prior 12 months. How to manage medical billsConsumers should ask up front what a medical visit or procedure will cost, or inquire what the estimated cost will be, she said. Sometimes, consumers will pay "a heck of a lot less" if they pay in cash rather than via insurance, McClanahan said.

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Persons: that's, Erin Duffy, Stocks, Duffy, Carolyn McClanahan, McClanahan Organizations: Getty, University of Southern, USC Schaeffer Center for Health, Economics, Finance, Savings, Bills, Financial, Planning Partners Locations: University of Southern California, Jacksonville , Florida