Just because a medical bill says they have billed your insurance doesn't mean they have. If there are no adjustments to the price they charge, that is a huge RED FLAG. Do not let the "Due on receipt" propel you into paying it until you've checked it out.
I made that mistake in June and have been trying to get it sorted for months. Guess what? It's much harder to get your money back after you've paid it.
I emailed my insurance in August because I still didn't see the claim listed on my account. Heard back that no, they didn't have it, but the customer service rep kindly called the billing company and spoke with someone who said they'd submit it right away.
In September, still no sign of the claim. I email the billing company directly with login info included on the bill to see what's going on. I get an auto-reply which shows they have my correct email and says they will forward it to the billing department.
No reply.
In October, I email them again including everything so far from my end. Nothing but the auto-response.
In November, I check my insurance again, no claim, and log in to the billing site which looks like they have finally submitted it a few days before.
I call the billing site's damn number. First time it doesn't even work. Next time the auto system hangs up on me. Third time I get through and a woman with a thick accent waits for me to take a breath (she's lucky I was done) to say, "Sorry to interrupt. It's a known issue." She doesn't elaborate on what it was. She says, "It's not a workman's comp claim." I think to myself, "No shit," but maybe that was part of the "known issue"?
Anyway, all I'm able to discern is that there's nothing left for me to do but wait. 30-45 days for my insurance to consider the claim. Then 6-8 weeks to get a refund, if one is due.
Current status: my insurance denied the claim because the billing company waited too long but says that's on billing company unless they can prove otherwise, so I don't currently owe anything.
Which is nice except I paid the bill months ago.
Next up: fighting with the billing company's phone system again. I'd email since that's what I prefer and I like having written responses, but they've never answered any of mine. Hopefully I will get someone more helpful this time. Or psych myself up to ask for a supervisor and demand a refund. ARGH!
10 years ago on TTaT: 60. Color Index
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