In case you just heard screams of inarticulate rage coming from Maryland...
Seriously, people, I'm so mad that I'm actually shaking slightly. Some of you might remember my previous experiences with the hospital repeatedly billing us for charges we do not owe? Y'know, because 3 1/2 years after Yael was born, they still can't bill the correct insurance company?
Yup, you guessed it, we just got another bill today. Well, not so much a bill as a letter from a collection agency. Yes, due to their incompetence, they've sent this fraudulent claim to collections for the second time. THE SECOND TIME. Last time we sent a firm but polite letter with all the relevant information to the collection agency and that was the end of that...y'know for 2 1/2 years.
You might be wondering why I'm so sure I do not owe this money. Well, to begin with, there's the fact that they've been billing my secondary insurance rather than my primary insurance. (At the time Yael was born, I had insurance through my job as well as Avi's. Part of the reason we did that was--wait for it--so that we could be sure all our bills would be covered. Hah!) Also, there's the fact that at the time, we specifically checked my primary insurance and it covered hospitalization at 100%. So if they had billed the right insurance company we wouldn't owe any money.
Of course, since that was 3 1/2 years ago, I no longer have the paperwork from that insurance company. Heck, I don't even have my insurance card anymore. We've been through two or three insurance companies since then.
If I had to take a guess, I would say that I have calledl the hospital with the correct insurance information four or five times, I have faxed it twice, and I have sent it by registered mail once. Possibly more than that, but that's the minimum.
Best part? This is the hospital the new kid's going to be born at. Whee? I guess that means it might be a bad idea to sue them for harassment.
::more screams of inarticulate rage::
People, I'm PREGNANT. If I'm poked and prodded too many times, I'm going to drive over the hospital and strangle their accounts receivable person and NO JURY OF MY PREGNANT PEERS WOULD CONVICT.
Yup, you guessed it, we just got another bill today. Well, not so much a bill as a letter from a collection agency. Yes, due to their incompetence, they've sent this fraudulent claim to collections for the second time. THE SECOND TIME. Last time we sent a firm but polite letter with all the relevant information to the collection agency and that was the end of that...y'know for 2 1/2 years.
You might be wondering why I'm so sure I do not owe this money. Well, to begin with, there's the fact that they've been billing my secondary insurance rather than my primary insurance. (At the time Yael was born, I had insurance through my job as well as Avi's. Part of the reason we did that was--wait for it--so that we could be sure all our bills would be covered. Hah!) Also, there's the fact that at the time, we specifically checked my primary insurance and it covered hospitalization at 100%. So if they had billed the right insurance company we wouldn't owe any money.
Of course, since that was 3 1/2 years ago, I no longer have the paperwork from that insurance company. Heck, I don't even have my insurance card anymore. We've been through two or three insurance companies since then.
If I had to take a guess, I would say that I have calledl the hospital with the correct insurance information four or five times, I have faxed it twice, and I have sent it by registered mail once. Possibly more than that, but that's the minimum.
Best part? This is the hospital the new kid's going to be born at. Whee? I guess that means it might be a bad idea to sue them for harassment.
::more screams of inarticulate rage::
People, I'm PREGNANT. If I'm poked and prodded too many times, I'm going to drive over the hospital and strangle their accounts receivable person and NO JURY OF MY PREGNANT PEERS WOULD CONVICT.