How long do you save "This is not a bill" paperwork?

[jbeany]

I'm still on my sorting, pitching and tossing clutter war.  I started on my files, brought on by the tossing of one year of taxes, and the addition of the new.  I started on the rest of the files in the same box.  Lots of junk I know I can toss or shred without a problem (like product manuals for things I no longer own!), but I've got another whole box that is all medical stuff.  I currently get "This is not a bill" info sheets from 4 different sources, including Blue Cross, Medicare, etc.  With the transplant and the bi monthly blood work, the amount of them arriving in the mail has increased exponentially.  I've got a whole forest of dead trees stored in my files! 
When it says "Save for your records," how long does that mean?  Last years?  3 years?  I'm trying to decide how far back to go to start pitching; something I've never done.  It didn't matter so much pre-dialysis, when I got 4 a year from doctor's checkups.  Now that I'm averaging 4 a week, though, something needs to give. 

How far back do you save?

[galvo]

For evaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

[Wallyz]

Match up EOB's (the this is not a bill papers from the insurance Co's) With invoives from providers, wait until you have paid in full on invoices, then toss the EOB's and keep the invoices for 7 years (as long as they can go after you.  After seven years, even if they come after you, just tell the bill collector (this debt is not valid, and they can't mark new activity on the account.)  This is for US folks.

[RightSide]

I certainly don't save my monthly blood work numbers. 

In fact, my dialysis center doesn't save them either.  Their computer only stores the most recent 6 months' worth of data on each patient.  Anything older is discarded.  If the hospital doesn't feel the need to hang onto older data, why should I.

For the rest of my records, my "statute of limitations" is one year--just enough time to do my yearly income tax returns.  After that, they go in the trash.

Someday, we'll have online medical records that we can access through a secure card or something.