To air one frustration and one analysis of people's illogical nature, perhaps one or both of these have been "aired" [via blog] before.
Subject 1 : Insurance
Amanda and I have been dealing with insurance on a dental exam for going on 14 months now. It's not a terribly large sum but large enough that I'd prefer to have insurance pay for it, particularly when I'm paying for the insurance. This time however it's not the fault of the insurance, it's the fault of the dental office who seemingly refuse to submit the claim to insurance. Both Amanda and I went in for a routine cleaning in September 2008 to the same dental practice. We submitted the co-payment and insurance cards and went on our merry way. The following day Amanda realized she gave the wrong information and went back to the dental office and provided updated info.
Fast forward to February/March 2009, I receive a bill stating that I have an outstanding balance so I logged on to my insurance provider and saw that they had paid the remaining balance promptly [prompt is relative when you're dealing with insurance] so I called my dentist back and told them what I found to which they responded that even though the balance outstanding was for "Thomas" it really was for Amanda. Amanda called up her insurance and sure enough they had no record of a bill by the practice. Amanda provided her insurance information to the dentist office again and went on her way.
Fast forward to August 2009, I receive a phone call stating that I have an outstanding balance. I explained that I've paid and they say "Oh yeah, Amanda has an outstanding balance". Amanda checked her insurance and sure enough nothing has ever been submitted. Fed up Amanda tried to submit on behalf of the dentist and the insurance says that they'll pay but they need the service codes. Armed with the document stating such Amanda went back in to the dental office and explained what they need to do (basically send this form in with a few numbers attached".
Fast forward to today, we received a letter from the dentist saying that we have an oustanding balance and they've exhausted all of their options with insurance and that we need to pay "or we're dead" [ok, they [probably] didn't say that but neither of us could read the writing and it could say that]. Amanda checked in with her insurance and guess what, the claim has never been submitted [except for the one that Amanda tried to do on their behalf]. The dentist did send a claim form but ut had Amanda's original [old] data, apparently the three times Amanda went in to tll them "that's old information, use this new information" hasn't quite sunk in.
The person was a decent dentist but all of this back and forth has prompted us to find a new one.
Subject 2 : Wheel of fortune [il]logic. Why is it that when someone knows the puzzle and they spin one more time they don't always call the letter that is represented more in the puzzle? If you know that there is 1 'N' and 3 'Cs' and you're going to solve after this spin ... pick C!!!
Rant is over - if you don't hear from us anymore after this, check with our former dentist...
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1 comment:
I had a simalar thing with the provider of C-Pap equiipment. Never billed insurance even though I called and stopped in several times. I finally wrote a formal letter offering to pay a 50% if 1) they wrote off the remainder 2) they gave me all my records so I could go somewhere else and 3) they agreed not to pursue any other collection activity or reporting. I included in the letter a statement that since the error was their fault and repeated several times, that if they did not agree to the settlement and pursued collection or reporting activity, I would pursue all other avenues available -- including legal. They settled.
Dad
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