What would you do??

[arkienurse]

Last year my husband had a sleep study done for sleep apnea. To date we have never received a bill from the doctor for this sleep study. This week I received an insurance statement where the doctor had finally gotten around to filing a claim for this sleep study. My insurance is denying the claim because time has run out to file a claim. Ater all we are talking over a year here. So technically we will owe the entire 1800 for this. I have a good mind to call the insurance and find out what they would have covered and only pay the part I should have had to pay if they had filed insurance in a timely manner.

What would you do? One of the doctors I work with said if it was him, he wouldn't pay it, there is no excuse for filing a late claim.

[Cali]

But if you didn't get a bill until now and it has the date of when you had it done, shouldn't they still pay? My hubby had the same study done, but we got it for free because of the military.

[arkienurse]

But if you didn't get a bill until now and it has the date of when you had it done, shouldn't they still pay? My hubby had the same study done, but we got it for free since we are military.

I still haven't gotten a bill from the doctor, just the notice from the insurance company where they finally filed the claim. Most insurance companies won't pay a claim filed after a certain amount of time, I think it is a year. He had his sleep study on 3/26/07 according to the claim. So that is 14 months. My insurance would have paid most all of the claim if they had just submitted it in a timely manner.

[ichb]

I most certainly would not pay that. I hope they do not try to force the issue.

[Cali]

I didn't know there was a time frame on when to pay medical bills.

I personally wouldn't pay it.

I still haven't gotten a bill from the doctor, just the notice from the insurance company where they finally filed the claim. Most insurance companies won't pay a claim filed after a certain amount of time, I think it is a year. He had his sleep study on 3/26/07 according to the claim. So that is 14 months. My insurance would have paid most all of the claim if they had just submitted it in a timely manner.

[AngelinaCat]

If the doctor who did the study, has an office and staff that is so inefficient with their paperwork, THEY should have to eat it, not you. Only my humble opinion....

[JRScott]

I agree with the others, I'd not pay it.

[arkienurse]

I guess like minds think alike. If and when they get around to sending me a bill, I will let them know why I am not paying for the part that would have been covered by insurance.

[arkienurse]

According to my insurance company.......

My insurance company has a 365 day time limit on claims, so they are well outside of the window. The guy I talked to told me the doctor can file a protest and show documentation where they filed but it was lost, or they should write it off. He said they should not try to make me pay it. My insurance should have covered 80% after the deductible was met, so we should have had to pay around $500 for our share, still a lot, but not as much as $1800. So that is what I shall do if they ever send me a bill.

[JRScott]

You could also argue that had you know the doctor would have been so deliquent you would have included the bill in the bankruptcy....

[arkienurse]

You could also argue that had you know the doctor would have been so deliquent you would have included the bill in the bankruptcy....

Well, we filed almost 4 years ago, and the service was just rendered last spring, as we were starting to see the finish line, so unfortunately that wont fly

[justplaintired]

I wouldn't pay that bill. Seems like your doctor's office messed this one up. I would talk to the doctor, not the receptionist about this. My experience with my doctors receptionist is she won't cut you a break, but the doctor just might. Maybe it's the receptionist's fault for not sending the bill over for so long. That's what happened to us. We had a bill she didn't send to the insurance co for over a year then it was denied and we had to pay it, AFTER SHE SENT IT TO COLLECTIONS, we didn't even know we still owed money! I still wished I had talked to the doctor about this mess up!

[BigJohn]

The bill was $1800. If it is like my insurance, the insurance gets the claim reduced to something probably like $400. The insurance would pay 80% ($320) and leave you with a bill of $80. If you get billed, tell them to re-submit it to the insurance company. If they insist that you pay, pay what is your fair share (about $80). If they want more, ask them what the insurance paid. Tell them you will pay 1/4 of that. Oooh, 1/4 of nothing is still nothing.

[AngelinaCatHub]

I WOULD NOT PAY THAT BILL. If your conscience bothers you about it, yes, pay the 20% of what the INSURANCE would pay, but mark your money order or check with PAID IN FULL.

I would not go to a doctor that inept in the small stuff. Lilltle hemostats left in your gut could be the next mistake that turkey makes. 'Hub

[PoorGrammyinBK7]

I have a doctor bill from an emergency group that we never ever received a bill on and then one day we got a bill from a collection agency. WHY couldn't they have sent me a bill???
Now its on the credit report - going onto BK