How to visit and pay for a visit to US Dr...
Jan 19th 2010, 1:12 pm
#1
Chocoholic !
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Houston, TX - Officially Not Shit since 2009
Posts: 2,324
How to visit and pay for a visit to US Dr...
June 2008 - arrive in US fully covered my hubby's Health Insurance.
August 2008 - visit Dr - have urine test - be given prescription for anti-biotics and be asked to pay $80. Go to pharmacy pay $5 for prescription.
September 2008 - receive statement from insurance co. showing Dr's submitted charges and the adjusted costs - insurance co. advises that Dr may charge you $96.
February 2009 - receive invoice from Debt Collector for $16 - pay $16.
January 2010 - receive invoice from another debt collector for $155 for 'lab work' from company you have never heard of.
Phone debt collector and ask who the hell these people are - be advised to call Dr.
Call Dr and be advised that this is the lab they used in AUGUST 2008!! for urine test. Ask why they did not send bill to you or insurance company - be advised to call lab as Dr only charges for Dr visit - lab work is billed separately.
Call lab and be advised that insurance company denied your claim as you 'were not covered' at that time and they did not send you their bill directly as you had selfishly moved in October 2008 without informing them even though you didn't know who they were.
Advise lab that insurance co. covered Dr's visit the same day so obviously you were covered.
Lab advises that they will remove this from collections and re-submit to insurance co as 'somebody's wires must have got crossed somewhere'.
In summary thank the heavens I have only had to go to the Dr's once - I can't believe it takes 18 months to sort out 1 visit to the Dr's office
August 2008 - visit Dr - have urine test - be given prescription for anti-biotics and be asked to pay $80. Go to pharmacy pay $5 for prescription.
September 2008 - receive statement from insurance co. showing Dr's submitted charges and the adjusted costs - insurance co. advises that Dr may charge you $96.
February 2009 - receive invoice from Debt Collector for $16 - pay $16.
January 2010 - receive invoice from another debt collector for $155 for 'lab work' from company you have never heard of.
Phone debt collector and ask who the hell these people are - be advised to call Dr.
Call Dr and be advised that this is the lab they used in AUGUST 2008!! for urine test. Ask why they did not send bill to you or insurance company - be advised to call lab as Dr only charges for Dr visit - lab work is billed separately.
Call lab and be advised that insurance company denied your claim as you 'were not covered' at that time and they did not send you their bill directly as you had selfishly moved in October 2008 without informing them even though you didn't know who they were.
Advise lab that insurance co. covered Dr's visit the same day so obviously you were covered.
Lab advises that they will remove this from collections and re-submit to insurance co as 'somebody's wires must have got crossed somewhere'.
In summary thank the heavens I have only had to go to the Dr's once - I can't believe it takes 18 months to sort out 1 visit to the Dr's office
Jan 19th 2010, 3:55 pm
#2
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Avon Lake, OH
Posts: 5,270
Re: How to visit and pay for a visit to US Dr...
Yup. I will always remember the lady who called me up in a massive panic because they had missed the submission deadline for a claim because our software kicked it back to her with errors when she submitted it on the deadline day. The time she had to submit the claim was 365 days and the claim was for over $250,000!
Jan 19th 2010, 4:26 pm
#3
Septicity
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 23,762
Re: How to visit and pay for a visit to US Dr...
Well just thank your lucky stars we don't yet have communo-fascist MSRA Obamacare with waiting lists and death panels and sh!t like that.
Jan 20th 2010, 1:09 am
#4
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Epping NSW
Posts: 606
Re: How to visit and pay for a visit to US Dr...
What awaits you next time?
May 3rd 2010, 10:23 pm
#5
Chocoholic !
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Houston, TX - Officially Not Shit since 2009
Posts: 2,324
Re: How to visit and pay for a visit to US Dr...
Ah good another letter from the collection agency - haven't heard from them in a while and it has been... let me see... 20 months now since my first and only visit to the doctor.
Call the lab again and ask what the insurance company said when they re-submitted their claim.
"Oh it doesn't look like it was re-submitted as all we had was the same information as last time."
"But you said you would take it out of collections and re-submit as I explained to you that I was most definitely covered"
"Maybe you should call your insurance company"
Well I tried but they work Eastern Time and I moved to the middle of this stupid flippin' country with their stupid flippin' time zones and crap bacon.
Time for a drink methinks...
Call the lab again and ask what the insurance company said when they re-submitted their claim.
"Oh it doesn't look like it was re-submitted as all we had was the same information as last time."
"But you said you would take it out of collections and re-submit as I explained to you that I was most definitely covered"
"Maybe you should call your insurance company"
Well I tried but they work Eastern Time and I moved to the middle of this stupid flippin' country with their stupid flippin' time zones and crap bacon.
Time for a drink methinks...
Last edited by ChocolateBabz; May 3rd 2010 at 10:24 pm. Reason: typo
May 3rd 2010, 10:46 pm
#6
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: How to visit and pay for a visit to US Dr...
June 2008 - arrive in US fully covered my hubby's Health Insurance.
August 2008 - visit Dr - have urine test - be given prescription for anti-biotics and be asked to pay $80. Go to pharmacy pay $5 for prescription.
September 2008 - receive statement from insurance co. showing Dr's submitted charges and the adjusted costs - insurance co. advises that Dr may charge you $96.
February 2009 - receive invoice from Debt Collector for $16 - pay $16.
January 2010 - receive invoice from another debt collector for $155 for 'lab work' from company you have never heard of.
Phone debt collector and ask who the hell these people are - be advised to call Dr.
Call Dr and be advised that this is the lab they used in AUGUST 2008!! for urine test. Ask why they did not send bill to you or insurance company - be advised to call lab as Dr only charges for Dr visit - lab work is billed separately.
Call lab and be advised that insurance company denied your claim as you 'were not covered' at that time and they did not send you their bill directly as you had selfishly moved in October 2008 without informing them even though you didn't know who they were.
Advise lab that insurance co. covered Dr's visit the same day so obviously you were covered.
Lab advises that they will remove this from collections and re-submit to insurance co as 'somebody's wires must have got crossed somewhere'.
In summary thank the heavens I have only had to go to the Dr's once - I can't believe it takes 18 months to sort out 1 visit to the Dr's office
August 2008 - visit Dr - have urine test - be given prescription for anti-biotics and be asked to pay $80. Go to pharmacy pay $5 for prescription.
September 2008 - receive statement from insurance co. showing Dr's submitted charges and the adjusted costs - insurance co. advises that Dr may charge you $96.
February 2009 - receive invoice from Debt Collector for $16 - pay $16.
January 2010 - receive invoice from another debt collector for $155 for 'lab work' from company you have never heard of.
Phone debt collector and ask who the hell these people are - be advised to call Dr.
Call Dr and be advised that this is the lab they used in AUGUST 2008!! for urine test. Ask why they did not send bill to you or insurance company - be advised to call lab as Dr only charges for Dr visit - lab work is billed separately.
Call lab and be advised that insurance company denied your claim as you 'were not covered' at that time and they did not send you their bill directly as you had selfishly moved in October 2008 without informing them even though you didn't know who they were.
Advise lab that insurance co. covered Dr's visit the same day so obviously you were covered.
Lab advises that they will remove this from collections and re-submit to insurance co as 'somebody's wires must have got crossed somewhere'.
In summary thank the heavens I have only had to go to the Dr's once - I can't believe it takes 18 months to sort out 1 visit to the Dr's office
May 4th 2010, 11:43 am
#7
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,605
Re: How to visit and pay for a visit to US Dr...
Call the lab again and ask what the insurance company said when they re-submitted their claim.
"Oh it doesn't look like it was re-submitted as all we had was the same information as last time."
"But you said you would take it out of collections and re-submit as I explained to you that I was most definitely covered"
"Maybe you should call your insurance company"
"Oh it doesn't look like it was re-submitted as all we had was the same information as last time."
"But you said you would take it out of collections and re-submit as I explained to you that I was most definitely covered"
"Maybe you should call your insurance company"
We have United - what do I need to know?
May 4th 2010, 12:48 pm
#8
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,541
Re: How to visit and pay for a visit to US Dr...
It was eating the American bacon & drinking the substandard California wine (Chateau Hi-Test Sulfite) that gave you the UTI in the first place!!
May 4th 2010, 2:46 pm
#9
Chocoholic !
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Houston, TX - Officially Not Shit since 2009
Posts: 2,324
Re: How to visit and pay for a visit to US Dr...
Anyway I called Aetna this morning - they say the claim was never 'denied' but it is 'stuck' in their system and they will now submit it for processing. WTF that means I may never know. But they say the lab should have their money in 5 - 7 days and I will have an 'Explanation of Benefits' showing what portion I am liable for.
Hmmm don't think I'll hold my breath...
May 4th 2010, 2:48 pm
#10
Chocoholic !
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Houston, TX - Officially Not Shit since 2009
Posts: 2,324
May 4th 2010, 2:56 pm
#11
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,541
Re: How to visit and pay for a visit to US Dr...
May 5th 2010, 3:05 am
#12
Who?
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Stepford
Posts: 3,098
Re: How to visit and pay for a visit to US Dr...
And here was me thinking it was the visit to the water park
Anyway I called Aetna this morning - they say the claim was never 'denied' but it is 'stuck' in their system and they will now submit it for processing. WTF that means I may never know. But they say the lab should have their money in 5 - 7 days and I will have an 'Explanation of Benefits' showing what portion I am liable for.
Hmmm don't think I'll hold my breath...
Anyway I called Aetna this morning - they say the claim was never 'denied' but it is 'stuck' in their system and they will now submit it for processing. WTF that means I may never know. But they say the lab should have their money in 5 - 7 days and I will have an 'Explanation of Benefits' showing what portion I am liable for.
Hmmm don't think I'll hold my breath...
