Yesterday's Surprise
@GardenGerty (157555)
United States
April 16, 2019 6:37am CST
Three years ago hubby had cancer treatments, starting with shots three months apart that were $3500 roughly. He had both Medicare, and private insurance. The first was completely paid for.
The clinic failed to bill the second one promptly, for over a year they did not bill it, evidently. By the time it was billed he no longer had the second insurance, but since it happened when he was insured, it would have been paid.
BUT
The insurance company told the clinic "you snooze you lose" you waited too long to bill us, bill Medicare.
MEDICARE said, "We were not the primary insurance at that time, we will not pay it"
WE refused to pay it. Bob went in a few times to the clinic to discuss this. Every month we got a bill. No accruing interest, as they knew they were wrong.
He was ready to go see them in person, again.
IN YESTERDAY'S MAIL we got a statement, again. It showed that we no longer owe them anything.
What a blessing.
15 people like this
16 responses
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
16 Apr 19
Yes, we have enough other medical bills from this last year and so this is one less worry.
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
16 Apr 19
Always a battle among paperwork and red tape and insurance companies trying to get out of paying and hospitals trying to grab money from wherever.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
16 Apr 19
Yes, it is never simple. This is why we were paying premiums, though.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
16 Apr 19
The clinic should have been prompt with their billing. They will try to get you to pay for their mistake though. Glad that in the end they decided to give up. Guess they won't wait to bill the insurance company next time.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
16 Apr 19
We will not be dealing with that clinic again. Even if Bob were to have another type of cancer. From where we live now it is too far away and we have closer doctors. Trying to determine if he had a blood disorder we went to a closer Cancer Clinic. No blood disorder, no cancer, just radiation damage from the other time.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
16 Apr 19
I wish ours was that way, because we do pay our premiums, all the time.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
16 Apr 19
Yes. We have had lots of blessings.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
16 Apr 19
In March the new urologist found the source of his bleeding problems, and took care of it. He healed remarkably well. He will always have some heart issues, but he is doing really well. Mowed the front lawn today.
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
16 Apr 19
Oh, but they still tried to convince us it was our obligation. It is my understanding that if you do not acknowledge it they have to stop. They probably were required to bill us a certain number of times before they could write it off. He should not have had to have the second shot, but someone (not us) dropped the ball on getting the treatments started.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (79769)
• United States
16 Apr 19
That is a blessing that they finally got it all straightened out and paid the bill. I'm sure it's been a headache trying to get it all resolved.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
16 Apr 19
Yes, just one of many headaches as far as medical expense goes.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
17 Apr 19
It is kind of like "nothing ventured, nothing gained." and I know they had hoops they had to jump through as well.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
17 Apr 19
Yes, we still have more bills and that is why I still will work both on and offline for a while. It still is great to have that out of the way.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
16 Apr 19
Yes, it was a nice ending to a busy day.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95226)
• Marion, Ohio
16 Apr 19
Glad tha finally got fixed. Make sure you keep that one too just in case.
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
16 Apr 19
Nothing to pay there. We still have some other bills to cover.
