If you are in a health plan that requires you or your doctor to file a claim, it is part of your job as an educated health care consumer is to keep track of your medical bills.

There are many ways to set up a medical bill paying system. Just make sure whatever system you use is easy for you and simple enough that others can step in and take over if necessary. With a good system, you'll always know the status of every claim from the day you incur a charge to the day you or your doctor receives payment

Below we describe an easy-to-use system which is also very inexpensive. All it takes are five manila folders and shuffling bills between folders. 

Alternative means of keeping track of your bills include the following:

• Creating your own system on your computer in programs such as Excel with a variety of columns, or in a word processing program where you move entries from section to section by cutting and pasting them.
• Computer software programs such as Quicken Medical Expense Manager which is available at www.quickenmedical.com . Among other features, the program lets you see which bills are not paid yet by your insurer and whether there are any outstanding disputes about particular bills.
• Follow on the insurance company's web site if it has such a feature.
• Ask a friend or family member to help keep track of your medical bills.
• Hire a claims professional.

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