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http://mastcelldisorders.wallack.us/yabb/YaBB.pl General Mast Cell Disorders Discussion >> General Mast Cell Disorder Discussion >> Billing and insurance... UGH!!!! http://mastcelldisorders.wallack.us/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1297468805 Message started by Starflower on 02/11/11 at 12:00:05

Title: Billing and insurance... UGH!!!!
Post by Starflower on 02/11/11 at 12:00:05

OMG. I am really, really hating anyone who works with insurance and/or billing right now >:( >:(... I won't know exactly who deserves my wrath until Monday morning.

Back in November 2009 I got in touch with the hematologist who was finally able to give me a diagnosis and treatment plan (although I didn't know that at the time). I live in southern Indiana... he was practicing at UAMS in Little Rock, Arkansas. Excellent doctor. Crappy, CRAPPY billing department. I initially planned my visit for December 2009, but had to push it back one month in order to arrange childcare for my kids. At that time, it was "out of network" on my insurance (Anthem), but I was so desperate for answers that I was willing to visit Arkansas anyway. Imagine my delight when I arrived to find out that UAMS was suddenly "in network," significantly reducing my costs!!!

Last summer I got a bill from UAMS for more than $20,000. I called my insurance company... it turned out that UAMS had submitted the claim under my old insurance for 2009 instead of my new insurance for 2010 (same company, slightly different set of policies). I got the hospital to resubmit it under the new insurance. Problem solved... I thought. In November 2010 I got a bill for around $380.00. That seemed reasonable. A few weeks later (in December) I paid that off in one lump sum. A few days later I got a threatening letter... if I didn't pay immediately my bill would be sent to a collections agency. ???? I called the hospital to verify that I had made the payment... I also pointed out that I did NOT appreciate the threatening letter when I had done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG.

So... when I opened my mail about half an hour ago, guess what was sitting in there... a bill from "Medical Investments of Little Rock"... I assume that's a collections agency... for $3808.00. O.M.G. >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( Words cannot express how angry I am right now. Since this a Friday evening I have to wait until Monday morning to figure out what in the $%&# is going on. UGGGGGHHHHH.

I have insurance. It's usually pretty good insurance. I suspect UAMS is the party at fault... but we'll see. One thing I do know... the stress is NOT GOOD FOR MY MAST CELLS. $3800????? Somebody is not doing their job, and I'm the one suffering for it.

Heather

Title: Re: Billing and insurance... UGH!!!!
Post by chaco on 02/11/11 at 14:02:21

Sorry you're getting the shell game with billing and sunk by the provider. Nerve racking, isn't it?

Last October our insurance coverage changed back to BCBS. Our annual deductible from the previous insurance was supposed to roll over. Long story, short of which is: they didn't get around to doing it until 2011 so they had to refigure all my medical bills from the last 3 months of 2010 and ended up paying some that I already had. Now I have to contact those labs and doctors offices and request refunds - 7 in total! Fun!

Consequently, my deductible for 2011 has not been met afterall so now I owe the hospital that did my bone marrow last month another couple thousand (deductible) plus my 30% copay. Gr-r-r! They had me pay in advance of the procedure and I was supposedly paid in full. Well that wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't having to repeat the bone marrow next week and pay another 30% copay, which I figure will be roughly another $2400 or so! All because they didn't extract enough aspirate - they're doing, not mine! Double Gr-r-r-r!

I have to say that our veterinary pet insurance is much, much better than ours and costs a fraction of what we're paying for our coverage. And in the 8 years we've been with them, we have not had one problem. Wish I could say that about BCBS and Aetna.

Deb Mc

Title: Re: Billing and insurance... UGH!!!!
Post by Joan on 02/11/11 at 15:10:48

Hi Heather,

That really stinks!!! The doctor or hospital's billing messes things up, and then we have to spend our time sorting it all out. Or, the insurance company messes it up, and then we have to do their jobs for them. AAARRGH! I think they make the most money on people who give up and just pay the bills. Sad AND frustrating!! :(

Title: Re: Billing and insurance... UGH!!!!
Post by jbean on 02/12/11 at 10:24:51

Hi Heather,

This sound like a case of poor cross-talk between the billers and the collection agency. My guess is that you won't owe anything. Call up the billers and tell them to give the collections agency a ring and get them off your back.

If you have your receipt, you can prove you owe nothing. They can't double bill.

Title: Re: Billing and insurance... UGH!!!!
Post by Starflower on 02/12/11 at 11:29:34

Alright... I just sent a secure e-mail to the billing department at UAMS. I'm also going to call them on Monday.

I hate this!!!! I have insurance... I have income... I have never, EVER failed to pay a bill on time. I was having a good day yesterday and then to come home and find this in my mailbox.... GRRRRRRRRR >:( It just makes me furious. I'm trying not to think about it because I know the stress is not good for my health...

GRRRRRRRRR >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

Thanks for letting me vent. I know at least you guys understand :)

Heather

Title: Re: Billing and insurance... UGH!!!!
Post by missybean on 02/12/11 at 16:22:54

Heather- Hearing this makes my face turn red and I can feel my blood boiling. I'm so sorry. I'm sure this will all work itself out.
I have to agree with Joan, the insurance companies totally mess with people because most people just pay the bill instead of investigating. They know sick people are tired and many don't have the energy to fight things. I just dealt with an issue similar to Heathers were the doctors office billed the claim correctly but the claim was denied because it went to a previous plan I had. I called the insurance company and the first time the woman told me they had no record of even being billed for it. The second time I called the rep I talked to figured it out, told me everything was billed correctly but somehow things didn't link up correctly. Whatever......I think they do it on purpose.

Title: Re: Billing and insurance... UGH!!!!
Post by Kim on 02/12/11 at 17:33:58

Heather;

Brie's secondary Insurance is BCBS and it has been a NIGHTMARE!!!!!! I am still fighting them over some bills from 13 months ago. I am not exaggerating when I say that I spend about 15 hours a week sorting through medical bills, calling Insurance Companies (Mainly BCBS) and providers. I can relate to what you are saying and feel for you. Fight it all the way. I truly think that they believe you will just give up and pay up and save them a buck. It is so unfair! Fight for what you are entitled to.

Kim

Title: Re: Billing and insurance... UGH!!!!
Post by missybean on 02/13/11 at 03:32:31

Someone should call the insurance commissioner on them. I would tell them the next time that I'm tired of their little games and will be reporting them. We have a local news station that does investigative reporting on consumer issues. I have seen at least three different reports where people who were really sick like with Cancer or something and were denied certain treatments or didn't cover certain things they were supposed to. Shortly after the story was seen on the news they covered those peoples treatments, saying there was some kind of mistake. Ha whatever.
Melissa

Title: Re: Billing and insurance... UGH!!!!
Post by Starflower on 02/15/11 at 12:27:55

I called UAMS plus the collection agency yesterday. UAMS has "nothing" on my account. The collection agency told me they're still waiting for my insurance to approve a PET scan. Hence the $3808.00 bill. They told me to ignore this bill, but call next month if I get another one.

WOW

I had that scan in January 2010. It was a huge relief to me, because it was the only way to really rule out malignancy or Castleman's as the cause of all of the swelling in my lymph nodes. Now I have confidence that the problem is 100% autoimmune.

Insurance!!! >:(

Heather

Title: Re: Billing and insurance... UGH!!!!
Post by jbean on 02/16/11 at 11:46:16

I hear you Heather, been there, done that. I had a $38,000 bill for my workup, and my former insurer refused to cover it at first, as they labeled me with a diagnosis of "hyper-sweating." That's a far cry from a neoplasm if you ask me. I had to go through a whole appeal process that took months, but I widdled them down to $600 when it was all said and done. It took 27 letters of support and a 14 page document, but I finally got through to them. Why do sick people have to go through this type of thing? Isn't it bad enough that we are ill, but that we have to fight these billings mishaps at the same time? Really gets my fur in a rough.