Question:
Unlike most people, I have recently encountered some minor insurance billing issues.

The billing dept for my pcp miscredited my accounts (each family member has a separate account--how annoying). the lump payment that I made the last time I was there was credited all over the place, so when I would ask about my payment not showing, they said they had no record of the payment ever being made, but my records showed that the check had cleared almost immediately. Anyway, after a few months of going around and around about the payment, I was notified in writing, by my now former pcp, that she refuses to see any of us, even in the event of an emergency! Keep in mind, the amount in question is $77.00 and I finally straightened it out today! I was shocked that my pcp of 9 years is basically firing me over a $77.00 error! The office manager won't even return my calls! Is this normal for mds to ditch patients over this small dispute?    — jenn2002 (posted on June 13, 2003)


June 13, 2003
Usually not over this small of an amount, but times are tough and maybe they are really cracking down. The other thing that may be involved is that, as a office manager, I can tell you that many patients are rude, disrepectful, and sometimes downright nasty when it comes to money. I have a family member that was fired from a practice because her husband called to fuss about the bill - probably got nasty or rude, and now she's out of this doctor's care because of it.
   — bethybb

June 13, 2003
Maybe instead of trying to save a few cents next time by writing one check for multiple accounts, you'll take the time to write a check for each account. And also, ask for a receipt so you have a record other than the cancelled check (my PCP's office does this without asking). Why did it take a few months of going around and around about the $77??? Why didn't you just take the cancelled check in when you got the bill and straightened it out? Sorry, but I think you could have easily avoided this situation...JR
   — John Rushton

June 13, 2003
JR-she shouldn't have to waste checks if they are all going ot the same creditor! She has been going to this PCP for years and they should know who her family members are. As a former office manager with a medical clinic, this should not have been to difficult for the office staff to figure out. I'd be hacked off too! Something similar happened to me once, and doctor had no idea his office manager was refusing to see me over a new balance owing. She (the office manager)was unwilling to make payment arrangements on my $250 deductible. The doctor fired her when he found out she had been treating his long time patients that way.
   — Barbara C.

June 13, 2003
Unfortunately, docs can refuse to see you for whatever reason they want. There was just a story in our tiny local paper about a women who spoke up in a school board meeting against the wife of her doctor, and she got a letter from him 2 days later saying he wasn't going to see her or her family anymore. A different time, I called my mother's doctor to say she was uncomfortable with something he said to her, and he said he wasn't going to see her anymore. I was just trying to make things right for my mother! So... it's a terrible situation, but there are other doctors out there. I'm sorry you had to go through all that.
   — Diana L.

June 13, 2003
wow what a winch if you ask me she is being selfish ... however she does have the right to fire you as a patient but I find it strange she would after 9 yrs of care over a little mesely 77 bucks dang i owe my pcp all the time lol poor guy cant even fire me to get rid of me hehe but in any case maybe you could write a letter in your deffence directly to your pcp and move on or hopefully she will reconsider...good luck i hope it works out for you its hard to find a doctor you can trust!
   — Deanna Wise

June 14, 2003
I should have added that the intro was sheer sarcasm! I should have also mentioned that the billing company is a new and that I don't have the option of writing several small checks because they bill in one lump sum without any other info; if you owe $123.98, that is the only amount on the bill--nothing else. It's when they input them amount onto your account that the numbers get messy! Basically, check numbers don't show and individual amounts don't show on the statements!!!!! I'm sorry, I wasn't clear enough! And I don't play the medical game of paying whatever they say I owe, before insurance pays out--I've been doing that for years and it takes about 5-6 months to get my money refunded.
   — jenn2002

June 14, 2003
This is a typical case of, "With friends like this, who needs enemies." I think that doctors have gotten away from the practice of healing and caring for people and into the practice of making money. I've seen this happen so many times and, to be honest, it's very hard to find a good doctor who really cares about his/her patients they way they should. I say cut your losses and start finding another doc. Get references from friends, family, coworkers - that's how I've found the fabulous doctors I have. Every one of them is a God send and, no matter how sick I feel, I always look forward to seeing them. My PCP is a large woman with the same interests as I and we get along great. My GYN is a wonderful man who greets me everytime with a big hug and kiss on my head. My surgeon - well what can I say - he's saved my life. I know it's very hard to find doctors who you trust and count on but it's so very very important to do so. You really have to do a lot of homework. I went through many many doctors, who were pretty much losers, to find these. I was going to a doc lately who I just adored but the insurance company dropped him. I tried to fight it but couldn't. The good thing, though, is he is the one who referred me to my new PCP and I LOVE her. I knew I had made the right decision when, about 3 days after my first visit with her, she sent me a card welcoming me to her practice. I've never had a doctor do that and it meant a great deal to me. When looking for a doc I'd ask them about their billing practices and see if they interact well with patients. Good luck.
   — Vicki H.

June 14, 2003
Personally, I think you and your family are better off with another doctor. This one is obviously more concerned about money than about your family's health. The surgeon who did my RNY is an example of a doctor who CARES about his patients. When I was ready for my TT and hernia repair, the TT was denied. He talked to the doctor who reviewed my case and got an oral ok. I had the surgery 4 days later, with no written confirmation of the approval. Well, the insurance company has paid the hospital and they paid for the hernia repair, but they are denying the tt -saying it was cosmetic. I have contacted his office several times and recently he had his office manager call me and tell me not to worry about his charges for the surgery - he just wanted to make sure that the hospital was paid. He charged $3800 for the hernia repair; Blue Cross paid him $1600 and they are paying none of the $3000 for the TT. But this wonderful, caring man isn't concerned about it - I will never have to pay a cent of it even if they never convince the insurance company to pay. That is an expample of a doctor who cares about his patient's well-being, not about money. My advice to you is to try to find a new doctor - one who is concerned about you.
   — Patty_Butler

June 14, 2003
I say you are better off with a new PCP, but I would inform your insurance company. The PCP might be in violation of their PCP contact with them. I know my insurance company tracks trends for why people change PCP's etc and absolutely would want to know that this happened. Lisa open rny 4/26/02 -147lbs
   — LisaTaz

June 14, 2003
Geez, find a new PCP, hopefully one that doesn't use the same billing company! Sounds like a terrible company, to me. Hopefully the office manager and doc look at the way the billing company is doing business and get out of the contract as soon as they can. Several years ago, we were actually sent to collections by our local Children's Hosptial over a $36.00 charge. It was supposed to be paid by our insurance, and the pt. accounts people admitted to my husband, on more than one occasion, that they coded something incorrectly, so it wouldn't pay! Did they fix it? Not until after several months and multiple phone calls to them. I guess they figured it was only $36.00 and we would eventually just give up and pay it ourselves. (Not!)
   — koogy




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