Billing/Insurance...How long till last bill arrives?

[Guest guest]

Posted to EMBO & UTERINEFIBROIDS

Okay folks, I am so tired of our medical system in the US being such a mess. It

is so hard to get good healthcare these days with docs that have agendas and the

cost of insurance policies, etc. We all know of the bad medical advice,

incomplete medical advice and slanted information on therapy choices. But, the

problem of finding & affording good insurance, finding docs on that

insurance...and then, the problem of BILLING.

On an average, how long has it taken post UAE (or MYO, etc.)

to get all the billing done and straightened out? I had my UAE 11/12/02 and it

took over a year for the hospital to bill me. I went through all the insurance

statements to try and figure out what I owed the hospital and finally called the

insurance company. They told me MY portion owed to the hospital was $149.XX

(this is on contract, so the hospital cannot legally bill me more than my

percentage/co-pay). The hospital bill came with a notice that made it sound like

I was deliquent, and it would be sent to collections imminently, even though it

was the FIRSTS bill I had received from them (I had received 2 bills that I had

paid from the IR who was independent, not hospital based).

I called the hospital and they checked and got back with me that they had JUST

heard back from the insurance, and my bill would be $149.xx. I requested a new

bill, and expressed displeasure at the tone of their bill that sounded

threatening and accusatory in format. I then paid the new bill.

Now, today, I get a third bill from my IR. I know I have paid in full everything

they have requested to this point. Today's bill is for ~$400 and is listed as

>120 days. It is not itemized. Now, to be fair, they may have indicated on the

previous bill (>6months ago) that some was still pending due to waiting for

clarification/determination from the insurance company). I will have to trot

upstairs to dig out my medical records from 2002 (I am sitting here with a

sprained ankle and haven't gone up until I need to for something else). But, the

notice that was not signed by the office/billing person states that they would

appreciate prompt payment or calling for a payment plan. I think something being

sent this long after the last bill that was paid in full should have had some

detail/itemization/explanation.

SO, after this long rant, I guess my question is how long has it taken others to

get all their bills from their procedure resolved? Is it typical for medical

billing to take over a year? Is our system that broken? How many people are

possibly overcharged the first time, and when the insurance finally pays, not

reimbursed if they didn't keep their records carefully to compare insurance

detailed billing against what they have paid? Is this the end? Or, do I have

more surprises that can crop up during the next few months or year? Or longer??

Is there any time frame where if they have not previously notified me of pending

charges I can legally tell them to take a flying leap into Lake Superior?

Sigh, I know I will put this computer to better use in tracking my medical

expenses going forward!

L? I know you had to appeal...have all your bills been resolved? Or, are

the hosptial, IR and insurance still fighting over what charges and who pays

what?

Thanks for listening to me rant.

TxGenes