Starting NY with a bang! Medical bills!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-12-2004
Starting NY with a bang! Medical bills!!
4
Tue, 01-03-2006 - 1:16pm
Hi, All. Well,the medical bill snafu continues. Guess what? When I called the billing office on the ER bill in Ohio, I found out that there is ANOTHER bill that I never received from them for the 2nd ER visit. SOOO: $1971.05 8/8/05; $1346.38 8/12/05; x-ray bill $3475.75; (local);ER doc bill 106.02 (then pd off). First doc bill from ER already pd off (by me!). Was resubmitted by their billing dept. 12/15/05. OH--dental bill estimate:1159.00. Patient part $387.00. But you just know with this insurance, that they either wont pay, or delay. Is it just the PPO, or the insurance? Honestly, I dont know. Believe me, I call these folks every week, including Claims Central, and they are waiting and waiting also. Have NEVER had an insurance mess like this. Usually,there is some word---either denied, paid part of it, etc. I dont want to get supplemental insurance. Too expensive. Been there before, they didnt pay either. Any ideas on how to light the fire to get the ball rolling? They must be sending it to Jupiter. Sorry, venting. Q---I had to set up payment plans with all of them. So does that mean the insurance wont pay anything (ever) now that I have done this? Had no choice, really, to protect credit, etc. "At the beach" and all, I need your help again. THanks WHiz.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-11-2001
Tue, 01-03-2006 - 2:30pm

I would always pay the medical bills by cheque, and keep copies of all the invoices that arrive each month.

Have you sent copies of all of these bills to the insurance folks by registered mail?

I would mail them a copy of all of them and ask to have a response in writing and give them a deadline, say 2 weeks. I would also ask for a representative who is your primary contact and handling this for you. Let them know that you don't wish to speak to a different person each time, you want someone who knows your case.

Then I would call and follow up with your mail, and ask them when they think your written response will be ready.

I would let them know which bills have been paid by you, I would keep that separate from the ones you are still paying on. I would send (registered) them a copy of invoice paid, and ask that this be settled with you, not the hospital. What you don't want to happen is them paying the hospital not you. Call after it arrives. Do the same as the other in writing request you want something in writing as to how it is being handled and who is your contact name. Explain how you paid the bill to protect your name and credit history, and how their inefficient practices are causing you countless strife and anguish. Lay it on thick.

I would get a rep you always talk to with an extension number plus employee number.

Then dog them every week until it is resolved.

I have never had that mess before either, but it seems it is time to get things in writing. Each time it seems laborious, work out how much you will save by having it resolved.

I really hope this helps. I am so sorry you are being put through this, and they still haven't sent all of your bills. Wow what a mess the hospital and the insurance company are.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-12-2004
Tue, 01-03-2006 - 4:33pm
Hi, ATB. Wow, thanks for your wonderful advice. Here's what I've done: l) Sent registered mail copies of all bills, along with letters, which I still have on file in computer, to both the MAIN review center (which is the source of the problem), and the claims center (which keeps track of posts, credits, payments, balances, etc). I did this Nov. '05. The problem is the MAIN review center, not the claims center, as I speak to the same person each week. It takes 30-45 days AFTER the claims center receives it, to process. 2) Spoke to hospital several times today. Gave them another # to call (there is no fax for the MAIN review center). They rebilled 12/05 and said to not send any more payments from me, but are waiting for the insurance to respond. 3)If I dont hear anything by next week, am going to ramp it up a notch. Thanks for your support, tips, and tactics. Whiz.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-07-2005
Tue, 01-03-2006 - 4:46pm

Any ideas on how to light the fire to get the ball rolling?

Yes, tell the insurance co that your dr, hospital, etc is about to send you to collections. I actually had my dr's office tell me to do that when I had an insurance problem a few years ago. Of course, if it's been months and months since you've been billed they may not actually be far from going into collections. It sounds like you are staying on top of it all though and I'm sure by now they know you by name. HTH

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-12-2004
Tue, 01-03-2006 - 8:24pm
Hi, SJ. Thanks for the tip. It is puzzling to me why the hospital now doesnt want me to pay on these bills now, when actually, I had it all set up for monthly payments. I guess they are aggressively calling, re-billing, etc. I AM going to check around work and see if other people are having the same problem. However, people I work with, they also have their husbands' great insurance, i.e., Blue Cross, etc., so they havent heard of this. Q-is it just the PPO that is the problem? Does anyone have experience with delays with HMO's? Group plan? Husband's plan (if you're on it?) Delays with only certain bills--i.e., "BIG" hospital bills vs office visits? Trust me, they know me on a first name basis--e-mails, phone calls, messages back and forth,letters, etc. It doesnt seem to matter if it is out of state or not. The x-ray bill goes back to Sept. 05 and is local. WHiz.