First a moment of frustration:
AARRRGGGGHHHH!!!
Why, you ask? Well, let's see... Since January of this year I have been fighting a mistaken double billing for my DH's sperm washing for IUI#2. Every month I talk to two different people who assure me the charge has been removed from the bill, give me confirmation numbers, etc., etc. And, then? Every month we get another bill. For the same charge. So, I call again, I talk to someone in person while I'm at the office, I call yet another time, they call me back "it's taken care of, sorry it's been so complicated. Not sure why this has taken us this long."
This time I was sure it was gone. Absolutely. Three different people told me it was done. They left a message saying it was taken care of. I mentioned this a week or so ago here. I was sure it was finally done.
So, at noon my DH shows up in my office with a treat for me -- lunch and a smoothie (yummmmm). How sweet! Then he closes my office door and says, "take of sip of smoothie, you'll need it -- OK, here."
Guess what it is?!
Why, yes, it is the same bill! How'd you guess?
This time, complete with a fun warning that they're going to send it to a collections agency if we don't pay it!!!
O.M.G. You have GOT to be kidding me!!!
I talked to yet another person at the customer service office. She read off of her screen the entire series of phone call notes and e-mails that have been exchanged between me, her department, the fertility clinic, etc. over the past several months about this bill. For the life of her she can't figure out why it hasn't been taken care of. Me neither. I'm waiting to hear back from her.
The problem is, how will I ever know that this has really, finally, truly, absolutely been taken care of?
As much as I like the people at my RE's office, I have to say that we have had a horrible experience working with them on the financial side of things. I don't mean the "OMG, this is so expensive" side, either. They're great at giving discounts for the uninsured. I mean the billing department. This is one of two (three?) different bills that have been charged to us multiple times after we'd already paid them. Then there was the payment I made that they claimed hadn't been made even after my credit card company had already processed the payment (and I had been billed by the cc). What is wrong with these people?
Once again,
AARRRGGGGHHHH!!!
My GAWD, that is Kafkaesque! Have you ever seen this Cuban movie called Death of a Bureaucrat? A normal guy caught in this bureaucratic run around finally kills somebody. And as you're watching, it makes sense!
ReplyDeleteThat is so frustrating! I hope it's really resolved this time, but I have no idea how you are supposed to believe them!
ReplyDeleteI have had a similar issue, and my only suggestion is to get in writing from them a memo that says that the bill was an error and that you do not owe them for procedure x on date y.
ReplyDeleteAnd, while I hate to say this, you may need to go in. And stand there. And SHOW them the bill and get a copy of above memo. Because these people -- they are the WORST!
How very annoying!!!!
ReplyDeleteUGH! I am frustrated for you! I hate shit like this. For the life of me, I cannot understand why people can't just do their jobs and resolve this issue. Hopefully everything really does get taken care of soon and you don't have to worry about it anymore. Can you get it in writing this time for the sake of your sanity (and in case a collections agency really does contact you)?
ReplyDeleteGrrrr, how freaking annoying! I have to call my insurance company and I am dreading it! I hope they figure it out soon. With all the stress IF and loss bring its difficult to have this BS on top of it, sorry.
ReplyDeleteI am so annoyed for you.
ReplyDeleteHow frustrating! With all of the crud that you have to go through to get the procedure, you'd think that the least they could do would be process a little bit of paperwork correctly. The nerve.
ReplyDeleteJust what you need, adding insult to injury.... I agree with one of the pp, get it in writing this time (and maybe have them print out their record of all your correspondence).
ReplyDeleteI so feel your pain. Mine, in fact, did get sent to collections...and now the people who billed me (who actually were PAID by my RE) won't talk to me b/c it's been sent to collections. My only choice is to dispute it, and let it sit on my credit, or pay it. Even though I already paid it.
ReplyDeleteFun times, huh?
Hugs,
Jo
Allow me to echo - ARRRGGGHHH! So frustrating!
ReplyDeleteIs this the same "virile husband" bill? Again? Egads! You want I should go lay the smack down?
ReplyDeleteHoly crap!! I want to scream for you! I hate large companies with systems with minds of their own and people who don't use their minds.
ReplyDeleteThat sucks!!! Hopefully she gets it taken care of this time...
ReplyDeleteSomebody is apparently not doing her job right. I am very annoyed for you. Hopefully, they will correct it now, and for good!
ReplyDeleteOkay, this is when you call them up and tell them that if you see another bill for this your lawyer will be calling them. Seriously, that works (yes, I've done it). And I think you need to pull out the big guns because it would suck to have that go to a collection agency.
ReplyDeleteWhat a enormous pain!! Sorry you're having to go through this!
Wow - this is terrible! I'm so incredibly sorry that you have to deal with this!!!
ReplyDeleteYou should let the doc know their billing department sucks so bad.
There's nothing worse than dealing with the Billing Dept.
ReplyDeleteOkay, having to go through all of the procedures they're billing you for...that's the worst. But, still.
I'm sorry!
I haven't had the issues with the billing department, but my insurance has been a royal pain in my a@#!! All we can do is be persistent and follow up. Eventually it will all get sorted out, but this is really the last thing we need to be worried about as we go through this journey.
ReplyDelete