AAAAargh Medical Collection! Update :)

[alienfico]

You just have to love the self-righteousness of some of these medical CA.  So I call an agency today and ask for a PFD for an old bill from

2009.  I was flat out told nope, we don't do that.

Something was bugging me about this bill, so I called my insurance company.....it has been the same one since over 10 years.  I asked

them why did I not get a bill for this.....blah, blah, blah.....turns out the medical provider billed the WRONG side of the insurance....I had

HMO, and PPO at the time on the same card.  Granted, I was totally in network for HMO purposes, my doctor referred me for some

radiology work...I paid my co-pay and went on about my business.  Low and behold the medical billing dept. of the radiology office billed

the wrong side of my insurance house.

I could friggin scream!  

So next I called the billing office for the radiologist and they run through all the x-rays that I have had and not one dime

owed on  any of them because they've been submitting the bills the right way.....until they come to this one bill.    *****crickets***** could

be heard on the line.  So now the billing dept. supervisor is going to look over this ancient bill and fix it....like WTH if they had done their

job correctly and yes, if I had been more in tune with my CR I would have seen this crap.  Two wrongs don't make a right.

Lesson learned, before you go pay that medical collection bill, see if your insurance would have covered it and someone didn't make a mistake.

I asked the billing supervisor to call off the dogs - the collection agency that is trying to collect on this less than $200 bill.  

This was such a FUBAR!

[Imperfectfuture]

I did that also, but for an 803 misbilling. Didn't catch it till a loan officer pointed out this big bill (well over $1k with collection interest, 12% in this state).

Called today to follow up, and it's been pulled. Even though I shouldn't have to owe anything out of principal, I will pay the copayment if they can figure it out.

[alienfico]

Lesson learned for sure.  I'm just glad that it is working out this way because it is such a measly bill....but then again, it is also the principle

of it.  I should have been more vigilant about my CRs.  No one's fault but mine.  

After this is gone, I have one last collection

[0REDSOX7]

Question is, would the insurance company pay out on the adjusted bill this far past the date of service?

[alienfico]

i also appealed it through the insurance company, specifically that I should not be held liable for the remaining balance and that they should absorb it, the fault was not entirely mine.  Whether or not they will pay is up for grabs.....but I just want that collection gone.  The bill was $110, then when I disputed it the collection agency wok up and then generously tacked on $58 in interest.  

The radiology office is in the wrong here and they should absorb the bill.  Considering all the damage they've done....sending this off to collection.  

[alienfico]

I heard from the billing office manager today, the radiology group has decided to retract the account and they are going to eat the balance.....they are sending me 

an email with an attached letter to that effect!  They also called off the collection agency....woooo hoooo.  Happy days, I can't wait till I get home to dispute this account and send a copy of the letter to the CRA.  

NOW I'M DOWN TO JUST ONE COLLECTION ACCOUNT.....WOW, THANK YOU MYFICO

[Imperfectfuture]

Congrats.

[Imperfectfuture]

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@0REDSOX7 wrote:
Question is, would the insurance company pay out on the adjusted bill this far past the date of service?

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Thus is definitely a YMMV situation.  It doesn't hurt to have them initially rebill.  In my case, the law was clear, if the OC erred on the initial billing (not that they didn't have incorrect nor missing billing info), then they eat the charges,  but I have seen some insurance pay 2 years out.  Talking with the OC does wonders, before any viral letter writing campaign (again, YMMV, but I have been patient. I am much older than most the posters here, and I catch more fies with honey than vinegar.  In PFD situations, I generally pay the CA's asking interest, without fight, because it's cheaper than hiring some credit repair agency that gets you worse results. Etc)

In addition, the ONLY PFD's I've done are for medical.  Everything else is out of my budget, and expiring off the reports.  I also have very cheap rent, so I don't EVER plan on getting a mortgage.  Everyone must be careful with their own personal situations.