ktgrok Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 (edited) Trying to get my son an appointment with the ortho because he injured his foot. He can't put weight on it at all really. They won't schedule it because they say I have an outstanding debt/balance on his account. I said fine, let me pay it, I'll give you a card number now. They said they can't do that, have to transfer me to billing, and then after I deal with them i can be transferred back to make the appointment. Fine, they manage to transfer me after a while, and then billing can't find anything, and says it may be in another system, he'll have to call me back. Asks when would be good. I said, um, now, since he can't walk and I need to make an appointment. He says fine, but that was 90 minutes ago. So i called billing back myself, to see if I could handle this. New person answers, says she can't find any old bills, but they only took over for the ortho office billing recently, a different company handled it before, I need to try to call them. I've been on hold for 15 minutes now waiting to speak to someone. This is crazy. i don't even know for sure which person the bill is for, and she couldn't tell me! I was there back over the summer, and various kids have been there over the years, but I didn't realize there was an old bill. I'm happy to pay it - just let me do it! update - called receptionist back and explained I'm happy to pay if anyone will take my money, meanwhile he needs to be seen. She acknowledged and agreed (guessing I'm not the only one with this problem!) and said she'd schedule me, but they only have two foot specialists and they are booked out for months, so best to use their "convenient care" walk in clinic tonight or tomorrow - and that they will absolutely see him - old bill or no old bill! Edited January 30, 2020 by Ktgrok 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 Call back the receptionist to make an appointment and tell her the billing office can't find an old bill. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 30, 2020 Author Share Posted January 30, 2020 update - called receptionist back and explained I'm happy to pay if anyone will take my money, meanwhile he needs to be seen. She acknowledged and agreed (guessing I'm not the only one with this problem!) and said she'd schedule me, but they only have two foot specialists and they are booked out for months, so best to use their "convenient care" walk in clinic tonight or tomorrow - and that they will absolutely see him - old bill or no old bill! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 That all sounds very frustrating. I'm glad the receptionist found you a workaround. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geodob Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 Walk in clinic, with a foot injury? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 31, 2020 Author Share Posted January 31, 2020 27 minutes ago, geodob said: Walk in clinic, with a foot injury? Lol...ok...limp in clinic 🙂 In all seriousness, it's a great place. It's urgent care, sort of, but only for orthopedic stuff. So no flu germs, etc. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 I had something similar happen (well, not the "we won't see you," but "you owe us something from 4 years ago that we've never billed you for") when our pediatrician changed billing companies. At the time that I supposedly did not pay, the practice would not let you go back before paying your co-pay, so am 100% confident that I paid the bill in question. And then, for years, they never told me otherwise until, one day, the new billing vendor did. It's been so long that I can't remember the resolution, but I do remember wondering how I was supposed to prove that I had paid. It was longer-back than I keep payment records, which is how I know it was at least 4. I took over a small business this summer and found out that the now-former office manager had sorely neglected her duties for a solid two years. I wrote off anything that she had not tried to collect on the grounds that, if we have not tried to collect it in two years, we have no business doing so now. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OH_Homeschooler Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 I swear, they complicate medical billing on purpose just to confuse everyone. The billing for the medical system in this area is awful. I've paid multiple times for the same bill because it takes them a month to process payments (I mail in a payment on Monday, and have an appointment on Friday but I can't proceed for the appointment unless I pay the balance, again). I assume I'll get a credit at some point, but who knows? I try to pay out of pocket for one office in particular because my crappy insurance doesn't cover it, and they won't let me pay just for that appointment if there's a balance, even though I paid the balance a week ago. So then I miss out on the self-pay discount because I'm not paying at the time of the appointment. They say I can call their billing department the next day to explain so I only get billed for the OOP discount, but I do and they never call me back. Sorry, just ranting here. At this point, I'm all for the government taking half my paycheck to cover medical expenses just so I don't have to play these stupid games (which essentially end up costing me half my paycheck anyway). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 11 hours ago, OH_Homeschooler said: I swear, they complicate medical billing on purpose just to confuse everyone. The billing for the medical system in this area is awful. I've paid multiple times for the same bill because it takes them a month to process payments (I mail in a payment on Monday, and have an appointment on Friday but I can't proceed for the appointment unless I pay the balance, again). I assume I'll get a credit at some point, but who knows? I try to pay out of pocket for one office in particular because my crappy insurance doesn't cover it, and they won't let me pay just for that appointment if there's a balance, even though I paid the balance a week ago. So then I miss out on the self-pay discount because I'm not paying at the time of the appointment. They say I can call their billing department the next day to explain so I only get billed for the OOP discount, but I do and they never call me back. Sorry, just ranting here. At this point, I'm all for the government taking half my paycheck to cover medical expenses just so I don't have to play these stupid games (which essentially end up costing me half my paycheck anyway). I hear you. This month I also dealt with the insurance company, who denied not one, but TWO claims at minute clinic as "out of network". Y'all - when I log into my insurance it gives me an option of scheduling an appointment at minute clinic right there through the insurance website! Like, not only are they in network, but you have a freaking partnership with them and encourage me in three different places on YOUR website to use them!!!! I appealed, sent them a screenshot showing yes, they are in network, and after 30 minutes of "checking on things" was told they would "reprocess it". Which they did, and yes, it was in network! The hours and hours I have spent dealing with insurance companies and medical billing if charged per hour definitely would make up a big chunk of tax money I'd be willing to pay instead! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.