ARGH. < rant >

[same_sky]

I suppose it is theoretically possible that the check I sent on July 27 to the billing company for the pediatrician's office got lost in the mail. Don't you think it is MORE LIKELY that it has gotten lost in their stupid office, which a) neglected to bill my insurance company b) neglected to post the money that the insurance company sent to them for three weeks c) forced me to leave messages to talk to "the next available representative" and never returned those messages and d) sent me a final fucking notice on a bill that I have paid, and threatened me with LEGAL ACTION? I HATE them. They are Evil. Now I get to take my sick baby to the pediatrician's office in one hundred degree heat just to pay a freaking bill because CLEARLY I cannot rely on them to actually process my payment before they send it to a collections agency, and the bitch on the other end of the line seemed confused as to why I am hesitant to send them another check for the same amount even if they WOULD delay the ten day collections to make sure it had time to get there (they won't, even though the letter was dated 8/16 and I just received it now). People. Eventually, you are going to cash my check, AND you are going to already have received this second payment. That is great for you and not so great for me, get it? And, no, I am NOT giving you my credit card number over the phone, because a) you are wildly incompetent and I don't trust you to use it properly and b) you want to charge me three dollars for the privilege! AND YOU CALLED IT A CONVENIENCE FEE. This is not, in any way, "convenient" for me. Also, you are rude.

Oh, and my chiropractor's office sent both M and me a bill last week, asking for $200+ from M and $300+ from me as copays we didn't pay. There are many things wrong with this. 1) At the time, we had to beg them to take our money at all, because they couldn't be bothered for weeks at a time, but we didn't want to have a huge balance to pay. Like now. 2) They insisted that we not owe them the full copay, since we were there so often and both of us were coming (I suspect this is why they're now saying that we owe them for the rest.) It was a really relaxed office in that way--she told my cousin once that they could really afford to treat a few people for free because of all the insurance money they get. They were sooo disorganized. 3.) These "charges" that we owe from are from 2003. Who the hell bills people FOUR YEARS LATER? Ironically, I have been talking about how I would really like to go back to them but the commute is a bit much. (Three hours round trip from here--why yes, we have moved TWICE since we were there.) Not so much anymore! I am not even sure where to start with these people. I'm thinking maybe M might want to call because when he puts his British English on (when he's angry) he is really effective at striking down stupidity.

Comments

[carrieb.livejournal.com]

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are all those people INSANE! I hope you open up a case of whoop ass on them! I would totally call the bank and put a stop payment on the first check to the ped office. You have found a new ped, right?

Sicking M on the chiro is an excellent plan.

[same-sky.livejournal.com]

Yep, pretty sure insanity is the real answer. Guess what? There's only one pediatrician's office in this town! There are about eight doctors working there. And more than that, the three doctors that I've seen are really lovely. Seriously. It's just their billing company that is sucking balls. I suppose I could take her out of town but that seems like a real pain.

Oh, and I am now working on the hospital, who claims that they haven't received payment from my insurance company for Evelyn to the tune of four thousand dollars.. but I have received an explanation of benefits from the insurance company saying they've paid it. WTF is wrong with these people? I think that the insurance companies are doing this to discourage people from having more children and therefore save future money. :)

[e11en.livejournal.com]

The hospital lost my co-pay check for $500 after Anders was born. Then I got this letter saying they would send me to a collection agency. I called them up and the woman on the phone was very apologetic and said she would reset the date so that I wouldn't get sent to a collection agency while they tried to find the check. I had to call back three weeks later and they still hadn't found it so I, like you, decided that no way in hell was sending them another check. I went over there and paid with my Discover Card which just happened to have a special promotion for 5% extra bonus cash back on health related expenses, including hospital bills. Score! They never did find the check but I would definitely put a stop on it in your case.

I have yet to receive any bills for Ingrid's broken arm though I got the explanation of benefits from the insurance company several weeks ago. It's all a huge racket.

[same-sky.livejournal.com]

Argh! Though I will get 1% back if I pay with a credit card at the office--better than nothing. :) The bill is only $40, and the last time I put a stop check on something, it cost $35. I'm not sure that's what my current bank charges but if the difference is $5, I think I'd rather just take the gamble that they either never cash the check, or they cash it and give me a refund. I asked her to delay the whole collections thing to give the check time to arrive, and she refused, so unfortunately there is a shortage of nice apologetic women at this billing company. :)

(Of course, someone else is going to find it and cash it, and I will not only have lost the five bucks but given my account numbers to this random thief who will rack up thousands in my name, and I might live to regret this moment, but there you go.)

[georgiamars.livejournal.com]

Grrrr...how frustrating!

[same-sky.livejournal.com]

Yes, very!

[reebert.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh. I'm flabbergasted by both situations. People can be so stupid and annoying.