Today, I want to share a frustrating experience I had during a mediation that lasted over four hours. The main issue? Medical billing. It’s a nightmare that many people face, and it’s time we talk about how complicated it can get.
Key Takeaways
- Medical billing can be a long and frustrating process.
- Always negotiate your medical bills; you might save a lot.
- Communication between insurance companies and medical providers is often a mess.
So, here’s the deal. My client had to be rushed to the emergency room. At that moment, he didn’t have the work comp information handy, which is a common issue. Later, he received a bill, and that’s when the real trouble started. We sent out dispute letters, explaining that this was a work comp claim and provided all the necessary details to the adjuster. We did this back in the summer, so we’re talking about six or seven months ago. Did anyone pay it? Nope.
Then, one of the bills got sent to collections. I called them up, and they told me that initially, my client was given a discount on a whopping $110,000 bill. They knocked off $88,000 right away because he didn’t have insurance. So, always negotiate your bills! It went down to $10,000, but when it hit collections, they said, "Oh no, it’s back to $10,000 again." And guess what? They couldn’t return it to the hospital because they bought the debt.
Now, I had to go back to the insurance company and say, "Hey, please process this on the Forum 1500 with the CPT codes and send it to this guy." It felt like I was running in circles, hoping the adjuster would finally pay.
We reached a tentative settlement, but the adjuster still hasn’t paid. The state still has jurisdiction over this issue, so I can file a hearing request to enforce the settlement, which includes payment of those bills. Meanwhile, I’m just hoping this doesn’t end up on my client’s credit report.
This whole process took four hours to sort out, and that was just for the emergency room charges. There were also CT scans and a separate physician’s bill from a different group of independent contractors. Each had their own billing service, which made things even more complicated.
I had to call them to get the information, and when the billing representative found out I was a lawyer, she wouldn’t talk to me anymore. So, I had to have my client step in and talk to them. When I asked how to get the information to them, she said, "No, you cannot email it or fax it or mail it. It has to go through this service called Chart Swap." But the other billing department insisted that it had to go through US mail. Really? In this day and age?
If you’re wondering why I have a headache, well, it’s because of all this nonsense. And honestly, I can’t imagine how stressful this is for people who aren’t in this line of work. It’s a lot to handle, and it shouldn’t be this complicated.
In conclusion, medical billing is a maze of confusion and frustration. Always keep track of your bills, negotiate when you can, and don’t hesitate to reach out for help. It’s a tough road, but you don’t have to walk it alone.
