Wednesday, August 29, 2007

The On-Going Bill Saga


I hate to talk about this bill AGAIN but it just won't go away. This doctor bill, the first one I submitted to my new insurance, can not seem to make it through the insurance maze without intervention.

I had accepted the fact that the insurance company had labeled the bill as "out of network". After all, I didn't check ahead of time like I was supposed to. I received an explanation of benefits that gave me a discount but basically said the full amount was my responsibility. Originally the bill was $450 and now it was $250 so I was willing to pay it and make it disappear so that they couldn't threaten to send it to collections again.

Today I called the insurance company to find out why the had not sent the explanation of benefits to the billing office. The agent decided to get a 3 way phone call going with the billing office. He was a talker. He while we were waiting he told me how I should have checked to see if they were a preferred provider ahead of time, how they are partners with a insurance discounting firm and the billing office might not accept the discounts...and on and on. We finally got connected to the billing office and the lady, after looking closer at my account said that they HAD received the explanation of benefits. I have no idea why they didn't bill me. Then she said that yes they were a preferred provider. The agent didn't believe her so we had a four way phone call with another insurance agent who confirmed that yes they are a preferred provider and "in the network". So, after 25 minutes on the phone, the bill has to be re-submitted and it will be another 3 weeks for processing.

It is a good thing that I called the insurance company, I think. Maybe it will be paid in full eventually. Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of..."The Bill That Never Dies".

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