doctor billed me!

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: sixone

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Evadman

Originally posted by: sixone
Tell Dr. A's office to shove it. There was no appointment, and they aren't going to turn you over to collections for $50.

I was turned over to collections for a doctor bill that my insurance didn't pay, and the doctor's office never told me about the problem.

I didn't figure it out until the harassing phone call from the collector telling me they were going to 9and I quote) destroy my credit rating. It was for $19.

Not possible according to the other AT experts posting above you.

Are you referring to the US experts, or the Canadian ones?

I live in Argentina though....so what about us?

 

[sixone]

Originally posted by: OdiN

Originally posted by: sixone

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Evadman

Originally posted by: sixone
Tell Dr. A's office to shove it. There was no appointment, and they aren't going to turn you over to collections for $50.

I was turned over to collections for a doctor bill that my insurance didn't pay, and the doctor's office never told me about the problem.

I didn't figure it out until the harassing phone call from the collector telling me they were going to 9and I quote) destroy my credit rating. It was for $19.

Not possible according to the other AT experts posting above you.

Are you referring to the US experts, or the Canadian ones?

I live in Argentina though....so what about us?

I'll cry for you, Argentina...

 

[summit]

thanks sixone and rest for your advice, i shall send said letter after work tomorrow. knowing my luck, i will owe 50 bucks.

 

[sixone]

Keep us posted, will you?

 

[DAGTA]

Originally posted by: Summit
thanks sixone and rest for your advice, i shall send said letter after work tomorrow. knowing my luck, i will owe 50 bucks.

If you didn't have a confirmed appt, you don't owe it, but you won't be able to go back there unless you pay it or talk them out of thinking you owe it.

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: DAGTA

Originally posted by: Summit
thanks sixone and rest for your advice, i shall send said letter after work tomorrow. knowing my luck, i will owe 50 bucks.

If you didn't have a confirmed appt, you don't owe it, but you won't be able to go back there unless you pay it or talk them out of thinking you owe it.

Why would you want to go back to someone who is going to jack you? If this doesn't get resolved he needs to find a new doctor anyway.

 

[summit]

I am not going to see this doctor ever. I thought he'd have a slot open from me since he has a very non-prestigious alma-mater. Med School in the Carribean. I know thats a MD more than what I have but I won't be going to see this guy because of this and I like the other ENT doctor because he was very good. I came in deaf in my right ear, left hearing everything.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: Summit
I called Dr. A (ENT specialist) to see him last last Tuesday, day of. His receptionist says that she can't make me an appointment, but I can come in at 1PM and wait to see if a spot opens up. I call Dr. B (ENT specialist) 10 minutes later, leave a message. They call me back at 11:30 AM and ask if I can come in 30 minutes when they open. I go to Dr. B and problem solved. I have to run errands and forget to call Dr. A's office. I get a bill today from Dr. A for fifty bucks. The bill says that I missed an appointment and did not call within 24hrs. to cancel. Dr. office isn't open because doctor is on vacation for a week. Has anyone ever fought and won? BTW I have never seen Dr. A and never will see him again.


Thanks.

just don't pay it.

 

[Slew Foot]

Haha, Caribbean, where idiots go to med school. Id trust someone from Europe, India, China, Japan years before anyone from El Caribe.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Ronstang

Originally posted by: sixone
Tell Dr. A's office to shove it. There was no appointment, and they aren't going to turn you over to collections for $50.

Smart lady right her, listen to her.

I believe that "lady" is in Canada and doesn't know jack sh!t about how America works and how this guy will get screwed.

Are you trying to tell us Six isn't really a woman?

:shocked:

 

[Spineshank]

Originally posted by: sixone
Tell Dr. A's office to shove it. There was no appointment, and they aren't going to turn you over to collections for $50.

Having used to work for a medical collections agency..youre wrong. I saw collections for less even.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: Gnrslash4life

Originally posted by: sixone
Tell Dr. A's office to shove it. There was no appointment, and they aren't going to turn you over to collections for $50.

Having used to work for a medical collections agency..youre wrong. I saw collections for less even.

Yes, but have you seen people sent to collections for a missed appointment charge?

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: sixone
Tell Dr. A's office to shove it. There was no appointment, and they aren't going to turn you over to collections for $50.

IDK about that my Dad (who is a Doc) sends people to collection for not paying a 10$ copay

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: sixone
Tell Dr. A's office to shove it. There was no appointment, and they aren't going to turn you over to collections for $50.

IDK about that my Dad (who is a Doc) sends people to collection for not paying a 10$ copay

most offices make you pay the co-pay at the window before the appointment, and that eliminates the problem your Dad is having.
and sending someone to collections for 10 bucks will net you what 4 bucks in the end? i'm not sure of the percentage, but the collection agency gets a good cut.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: sixone
Tell Dr. A's office to shove it. There was no appointment, and they aren't going to turn you over to collections for $50.

IDK about that my Dad (who is a Doc) sends people to collection for not paying a 10$ copay

most offices make you pay the co-pay at the window before the appointment, and that eliminates the problem your Dad is having.
and sending someone to collections for 10 bucks will net you what 4 bucks in the end? i'm not sure of the percentage, but the collection agency gets a good cut.

I wouldn't care if I got $0 in the end, I'd still send them to collections. People who ignore their debts deserve the inconvenience of dealing with a collection agency.

Not that this applies to the OP.

OP, how did they even get your address?

Edit: As much as I hate to agree with Dave, OP needs to deal with this and not ignore it hoping it will be dropped.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: sixone
Tell Dr. A's office to shove it. There was no appointment, and they aren't going to turn you over to collections for $50.

IDK about that my Dad (who is a Doc) sends people to collection for not paying a 10$ copay

most offices make you pay the co-pay at the window before the appointment, and that eliminates the problem your Dad is having.
and sending someone to collections for 10 bucks will net you what 4 bucks in the end? i'm not sure of the percentage, but the collection agency gets a good cut.

yea unfortunitly some people are stupid with money, most copay issues comes from people not having cash and writing a check that bounces or some BS, and some just dont come with money at all, its more of an issue refusing them and making them come back then just billing them for the copay

people will have like 20$ left on their bill after insurance and all that and wont pay it, he will wait 6 months then its off to collection. yes they take a huge cut, he doesnt care about it because something is better then nothing

 

[PokerGuy]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: Gnrslash4life

Originally posted by: sixone
Tell Dr. A's office to shove it. There was no appointment, and they aren't going to turn you over to collections for $50.

Having used to work for a medical collections agency..youre wrong. I saw collections for less even.

Yes, but have you seen people sent to collections for a missed appointment charge?

Yes I have. The nature of the charge does not usually matter. If the office records have you down as owing something, it will often automatically go to collections based on an agreement with a collection agency. I've seen items as low as $5 go to collections this way.

OP, send them a letter (certified and make a copy) and let them know that since you did not actually have an appoinment you do not owe any such fees. Then let them know that if they persist in trying to collect the fee, you will take legal steps as allowed under your state law.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: sixone
Tell Dr. A's office to shove it. There was no appointment, and they aren't going to turn you over to collections for $50.

IDK about that my Dad (who is a Doc) sends people to collection for not paying a 10$ copay

most offices make you pay the co-pay at the window before the appointment, and that eliminates the problem your Dad is having.
and sending someone to collections for 10 bucks will net you what 4 bucks in the end? i'm not sure of the percentage, but the collection agency gets a good cut.

I wouldn't care if I got $0 in the end, I'd still send them to collections. People who ignore their debts deserve the inconvenience of dealing with a collection agency.

Not that this applies to the OP.

OP, how did they even get your address?

the doc/dentist can write off bad debts so it's not like they are totally losing out.

i'm not against utilizing collection agencies, it's just that you won't be getting the full amount due.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Man, talk about making a crisis out of nothing. With all the eleventy billion bits of paperwork the office had to deal with someone screwed up. I deal with MD offices all the time professionally and yes, occasionally they screw up my billing too. With all the crap that goes on, it's perfectly understandable with how overwhelmed they are.

So-

1: Call (yes call- they aren't slobbering gnomes waiting to screw you) and ask to be connecting to whoever does their billing.
2: Politely (yes politely) explain your situation and concern. Don't give them an attitude, because they aren't out to get you despite what the mentally challenged think. It's a human error, and I bet you make them too. Besides, if you act like a rational human they are far more likely to react favorably to your situation.
3: Assuming that they agree it's an error (and that's about 90% likely), ask that they send you a letter stating that you do not owe them anything. Get that part in writing.
4: In any case record the person's name you spoke with, as well as the time and date.
5: If you don't get something within the week, go to the office and speak with whomever you called the first time. It's wise to call ahead and make sure that person is there. Have the time and date you called handy.
6: Do not be a dick at any time. Contrary to what the conspiratorial types say this isn't a grand plot. Somebody goofed, and if you aren't an ass they will most likely help you.

Now if the above doesn't work, post again and we can explore your other options.

 

[allisolm]

Originally posted by: Hayabusa Rider
Man, talk about making a crisis out of nothing.

Exactly. Call. Explain. See what happens. If you can't get it taken care of that way, THEN worry about any other options.

And those of you who say they won't send a biill, or at least say they're sending a bill, to collections for less than $50 are wrong. I've had it happen exactly the same way as Evadman. Bill went to insurance, denied (doc sent it to wrong address) , I got a "this is way past due and going to collections" letter even though I never saw the bill. One phone call cleared it all up. Amount $22.

 

[CorCentral]

Originally posted by: sixone
Tell Dr. A's office to shove it. There was no appointment, and they aren't going to turn you over to collections for $50.

I wish that were true :laugh:

I got turned into collections for a $3.00 catalog! If I remember correctly, it was for Tower Hobbies (rc stuff) back in 1993. I had ordered the catalog 1 week before I placed a $500.00 order with them.

They said I owed them $33.00 for the catalog now because my check bounced.

I said screw that, and sent them a $3.00 money order. That was the end of that and no action was taken. I suppose because of my big order, they thought they'd be kind to me

 

[Jessica69]

First, go to the MD's office in question and ask to speak to the office manager, not the appointment clerk at the desk. The office manager is who is really in charge....the Doc rarely knows what's going on behind the scenes. Explain the situation.....you had no appointment, etc. If anyone will fix it, it's that person, and that person only....not a clerk, nurse, etc.

If that fails, count on this. A $50 charge will be sent to collections once the charge ages past 90 days. Standard operating procedure. Costs the MD's office nothing to do this.....they've already determined that the account isn't going to be paid, so if sending it over to a collection agency garners any payment, the MD's office gets something out of it, which is better than nothing.

Why do I say this? 2 years of working in a pediatric cardiologist's office doing billing and collections....Dr. Sidney Brodsky, Tampa, FL. Our initial H&P (history and physical) charge was well over $300 and that is in 1986 dollars, I cannot guess what it'd be today. We had our fair share of non-payers, esp. those that were self-insured and subsequent to the initial H&P, found out their child's heart murmur was nothing at all (benign) and could safely be ignored. Had a lot of people, once they got that news, failed to pay afterward. 90 days and off it went to collections.....no matter how small or trivial the amount.

 

[AMCRambler]

Originally posted by: shinerburke

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: shinerburke

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: sixone
Tell Dr. A's office to shove it. There was no appointment, and they aren't going to turn you over to collections for $50.

Excuse me?

I've personally seen people turned over to collections for medical bills of $10.

You should pay your bills you fucking deadbeat.

It wasn't me and you have no business here a$$wipe

I'm sure it was since you're a worthless piece of human debris.

I have more business being here than you do. Surely there's a forum somewhere that kooks like you can all get together an talk about how the Helicopter People from The Moon are keeping you down and secretly plotting with the Republican National Committee, Amway Corporation and the big fluffy bunny that lives under the porch at the abandoned house down the street to take over the world and sell all blond haired people to the Chinese vampire geese who control the Communist Party so that they can be used for cross breeding purposes to create a new race of ÜberGaensen that will rule the world.

Chinese vampire geese! Now I'm gonna have friggin nightmares! WTF

 

[pdusen]

I love this thread.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: sixone
Tell Dr. A's office to shove it. There was no appointment, and they aren't going to turn you over to collections for $50.

I agree there was never an appointment given or implied, but doctor's aren't just turning over a $50 collections, the agency is 'buying' a group at a time. They just bundle your's in there.