topic Re: Medical Paperwork in Community Chat

Medical Paperwork

coffee drinker — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 17:14:40 GMT

I'm hoping someone can help. Is there any reason to keep ALL the medical paperwork I have accumulated? It's paperwork from Medicare, hospitals stays and other supplemental insurances. All of these statements fill 1 banker's box. They are from my late husband who has passed 3 years ago. I have not had to refer to anything and my brother said to just get rid of it because everything is on line. Good suggestion, but if I have to refer to anything, I feel much better looking at a piece of paper instead of going through page after page if on-line statements.

Re: Medical Paperwork

PinkyPetunia — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 17:20:04 GMT

Get rid of it. If it's been 3 years and you haven't used it, you won't need it anymore.

Re: Medical Paperwork

SilleeMee — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 17:20:06 GMT

You can snap pictures of documents, load them onto a laptop and then transfer them to a flash drive, or other hard drive storage devices, for safekeeping or use cloud storage which is another paperless storage option.

Re: Medical Paperwork

skatting44 — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 17:31:23 GMT

If you used the receipts as an itemized medical deductions instead of just taking a standard deduction.

Keeping records 5 yrs was what was once recommend incase you are audited.

Re: Medical Paperwork

We rescue cats — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 17:46:18 GMT

We keep financial records 7 years, DH is an accountant so he is fussy about this. However I kept some of my personal records from birth (citizenship, adoption, etc.)

Re: Medical Paperwork

Carmie — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 18:27:56 GMT

I normally just throw out EOMB's ( explanations of Medicare benefit statements) and EOB's from supplement insurance as soon as I have looked at them and made sure the services are paid for.

There is no reason to keep them and you can always get a duplicate copy if you would need to, which would be rare.

They serve no purpose except to tell you a service has been paid or denied. You would never need them for tax purposes.

There is no reason to keep them, but insurance companies are required by law to send them.

Re: Medical Paperwork

gidgetgh — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 18:39:37 GMT

I don't keep any of it. When it comes in, I glance at it briefly and then shred it right then.

Re: Medical Paperwork

FranandZoe — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 19:13:29 GMT

I'd shred them. I shredded all of my husband's a few years after he passed away.

I don't get paper anything of my own.

Funny story - my Mom moved out of her house in 2007 - I was cleaning it out and in my grandmother's bedroom in a chest of drawers drawer I found Medicare paperwork of hers. My grandmother died in 1974. My Mom kept everything lol.

Re: Medical Paperwork

Q-Checker — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 19:49:36 GMT

It might be helpful to retain EOB's if you take medical expenses for a tax deduction and are audited.

Re: Medical Paperwork

Carmie — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 20:25:07 GMT

@Q-Checker wrote:
It might be helpful to retain EOB's if you take medical expenses for a tax deduction and are audited.

EOB's are not used for tax purposes. They show what insurance paid or did not pay.

They do not show any amount that you might have paid out of pocket. You would need checks or receipts for tax purposes.

Re: Medical Paperwork

Q-Checker — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 23:34:56 GMT

@Carmie-- Thanks for the information. I was thinking about the potential use of the EOB's to document transportartion to individual medical appointments when mileage and parking fees are claimed on an itemized return. A check for payment would not do that although a receipt indicating the date of service could serve the same purpose in the event of an audit. I very rarely receive a bill (or a receipt) as my insurance (MC and Supplemental plans) has almost always covered all of the costs for medical care. I have had some cost for dental and vision care and do get receipts for payments of those services when they are not completely covered by my dental and vision plans. Since I file an itemized return, I thought that it might be useful to save the EOB's.

Re: Medical Paperwork

homedecor1 — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 20:57:28 GMT

@coffee drinker

My spouse passed 2.5 years ago I had the same thing -- he saved every statement, receipt and his medical statements took up 2 bankers box. I took it all to shredding day -- I never received any bills after he passed since he had excellent medical insurance.

I'd shred them!

Re: Medical Paperwork

coffee drinker — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 22:30:43 GMT

@homedecor1 @Q-Checker @Carmie @FranandZoe @gidgetgh

Thank you all for replying. Guess what I'm going to do tomorrow.

ETA My apologies because some names were omitted. To those I say thank you, too

Re: Medical Paperwork

SilleeMee — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 23:14:41 GMT

UPS and FedEx does bulk shredding, charged by the pound. Don't waste your time shredding with a home office shredder. Takes too long plus the wear 'n tear on the thing.

Re: Medical Paperwork

sunshine45 — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 23:41:11 GMT

our EOBs are available and stored online through our insurance company.

they are easy to access if needed.

i do also get them in snail mail, but it can be a lot to organize and save.

Re: Medical Paperwork

Roscoe the Rascal — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 11:14:22 GMT

@homedecor1 wrote:
@coffee drinker

My spouse passed 2.5 years ago I had the same thing -- he saved every statement, receipt and his medical statements took up 2 bankers box. I took it all to shredding day -- I never received any bills after he passed since he had excellent medical insurance.

I'd shred them!

We saved a lot of those items as well and other papers. I have the important ones and shredded the rest. All bils were taken care of by insurance . I myself purge and shred every year during tax season. Last thing I want is my daughter to be swimming in too much stuff not needed.

Re: Medical Paperwork

CalminHeart — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 12:01:35 GMT

I keep bills and record of payments of copays for each year with my tax return since I itemize. We need proof of expenses if we get audited.

Otherwise, I see no need to keep it.

Re: Medical Paperwork

geezerette — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 12:04:47 GMT

@SilleeMee wrote:
UPS and FedEx does bulk shredding, charged by the pound. Don't waste your time shredding with a home office shredder. Takes too long plus the wear 'n tear on the thing.

My city sanitation department does paper shredding for free.

Re: Medical Paperwork

Franklinbell — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 13:37:36 GMT

@coffee drinker , check your area for free shredding. I found a national shredding company that lets you come to the facility, place your items in a bin, and then run them through the shredder. It is a massive operation, and I don't go early. Too many Semi trucks are coming and going. It has been so helpful and free. They also destroy old electronics. My bank also has a shredding day, but the lines are insane!

Re: Medical Paperwork

wagirl — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 13:40:25 GMT

This subject is a very timely one for me too. Having moved in Jan, I have paperwork from about 5 years ago--house sale, medical, divorce, taxes---and they take up too much space to store and move--need to got thru them and shred the dang things!!! Yes, most everything is online now--