Co-pays and the slow to bill offices

[desiderata310]

There's not much point to this post except that I'm pissed.
I can't keep up with who has or has not been paid co-pays. When I started with J, because he NEVER said anything about it, I didn't even THINK about co-pay until he brought it up about 4 months in. By that point I had racked up quite a bill. I paid him back slowly but it impacted my relationship with him (not the other way around)

TODAY the speech therapist office called to check about charging my co-pay to the card on file.
what?
A. I wasn't aware I HAD a card on file.
B. I've been in speech therapy for MONTHS and you're just NOW starting to catch up on billing me co-pays- especially when you had the means with which to do so all this time?
If she bills me all at once for all the times I've been there in the last few months that will be a bill well over $600.00. With my current situation that could be the difference between me eating this month or not.
I'm kind of furious. I told her that we could discuss this when I came in tomorrow but now that I've gotten over the shock, I should probably call back and then change back to once a week. I can't pay $30 a week to do this no matter how much 'good' it's doing me.

 

[The Albatross]

Um, like it or not services aren't typically provided without billings. I'm better at it all than my mister was... when I was incapacitated we were over charged over 7,500 bucks. No recourse except a "credit" from our med insurance company that was due to expire in less than 3 months (Waving the middle finger at United Healthcare here).

Two of my misters three surgical providers have gone under cuz of this bull crap and one was the number one urologist in our former area. My mother is now above her eyebrows in her hospitalization/rehab/and therapy bills (OT/PT/Speech and a nurse home health).... it's a service for fee thing I thought I'd adequately expressed to my brother who was supposed to be handling her bills. We'd used up our savings cuz of misters issues last year. But I guess not.

Be furious if you'd like but I know if you benefit for the service it's less of an issue per se.... for instance, my own mom's situation. But two surgeons down now in our care team for the mister cuz of the billing delays.... well. That's what happens when you put big brother in the middle of a provider care service.

 

[desiderata310]

services aren't typically provided without billings

Usually billing co-pays are asked for when services are rendered.
I'm being treated for a TBI. I HONESTLY can't remember stupid things like 'did I JUST take that pill or did I merely THINK about taking my pill?
I think the thing that irks me the most is that the practitioner knows my financial situation (I just went on catastrophic leave from work) and it feel like a kick in the vag to suddenly get billed. AFTER that conversation.
"oh I know you won't have enough money to buy groceries by the end of the week. but I suggest we go up to TWO sessions a week and OH by the way, you owe us for back bills."

I called her back, I was nice but TOLD her 'hey, that was kind of not awesome that you've had the means to have billed me all along and now you are going got suddenly play catch up with me. From now on, you have the way to do it, don't expect I will remember (I literally can't remember 3 numbers after I am told them 30 seconds later- I. Have. Memory. Problems. Right. Now) I EXPECT you to bill me each time I walk in the door.

The receptionist was sweet but just struck me as kind of clueless. I mean, I'm not the only TBI patient they have. I hope they don't do that to them as well.
I'm caught up. I might not be able to pay everything and eat for the rest of the month but at least that's straightened out.

Waving the middle finger at United Healthcare here

That's what I have as well. They are kind of the worst ever.

 

[The Albatross]

Cali is a whole nother country now... but I know that the mish-mash between provider and service provider is a whole convoluted thing (or rather was up til this summer) in our case.

Plus believe me I hate United with a purple passion. For some very solid billing reasons.