I work as an IT contractor and have some pretty crappy insurance. I have a couple of thyroid issues for which I have frequent appointments, and I have to get a decent amount of bloodwork done before every appointment. My insurance doesn’t cover it. That means that I generally have a decent balance with the place where I get the bloodwork done.
I always pay more than the “recommended” minimum, but I never schedule recurring payments because I get paid kind of fluidly. Apparently, though, that doesn’t sit well with the place. I get really frustrated with them because they also never like to leave voicemails with any information; it is always, “This is [Location] customer service. Please call [Location].” So, one day, I call them.
Representative #1: “Thank you for calling [Location]. How can I help you today?”
Me: “I have no idea. I’ve gotten about five voicemails from you guys that just say to call.”
Representative #1: “Oh, well, we had to call for some reason. Do you know what this is about?”
Me: “No.”
Representative #1: “Let me look up your account.”
I provide her with the account information and she finally finds my account.
Representative #1: “Oh! Well, I show that you have a balance of [balance].”
Me: “Sounds about right.”
Representative #1: “Okay, would you like to pay that off now?”
Me: “Uh, no. I’m paying monthly.”
Representative #1: “Oh. Well, can we get you set up on a recurring payment?”
Me: “No.”
The representative hesitates; I’m pretty sure I’ve shocked her.
Representative #1: “Well, are you sure? It’s one less thing to worry about.”
Me: “Yes, I’m sure. I can’t set up a recurring payment right now.”
Representative #1: “Are you sure? I show that you’re paying around the same time every month; we could just pick a day in the middle of that.”
Me: “I’m still sure. I don’t want to set up a recurring payment.”
Representative #1: “But… I can assist you; it’s really simple.”
Me: “No, thank you.”
Representative #1: *Hesitates again* “Are you sure?”
Me: “Yes.”
Representative #1: “Okay, I’ll make a note in your file. Have a good day!”
The call ends. You would think this would be the end of it, but no. I start getting these calls a couple of times a month. I go through the same conversation with them every time, with the promise that a note is going to be added to my file. Then, one day, I’m just done.
Representative #2: “Thank you for calling [Location]. How can I help you today?”
Me: “Yeah, I keep getting calls asking me to set up recurring payments, which I can’t do.”
Representative #2: “Well, let me look at your account.”
She for a minute as she gets my info.
Representative #2: “Yes, I show that you have a balance and no recurring payment. Let’s get that scheduled for you.”
Me: “No.”
Representative #2: “Wha… Um, well, I can set it up; it’s really easy to get scheduled.”
Me: “No. I don’t want to set up recurring payments right now. I’ve had this conversation multiple times and keep getting told that you’re going to put a note in my file. This is borderline harassment.”
Representative #2: “Oh, no! No, this isn’t that! We just don’t want you to get sent to collections, so if I could schedule the recurring payment, that would make sure your account wouldn’t get sent over.”
Me: “Well, you’re getting paid every month, so I don’t know why it would go to collections.”
Representative #2: “I show that you’re paying around the same time every month. Do you want to choose one of those dates for the recurring payment?”
Me: “No. Look. I’m a contractor so I’m never 100% sure what I’m going to get paid or when. I’m paying more than the recommended minimum every month, so I don’t know why there’s a fear of it getting sent to collections.”
Representative #2: “Do you have a credit card? We can schedule it on that.”
Me: “I’m not scheduling a recurring payment.”
Representative #2: “Are… are you sure?”
Me: “Yes.”
Representative #2: “Okay, I’ll make a note on your account. Have a nice day!”
To be honest, I don’t think the note ever got added. It got to a point where I flat-out told one of the representatives that any and all communication going forward needed to be in writing and I was not going to respond to phone calls anymore. I had two more calls and I had to threaten action if my number didn’t get removed from the system. I ended up using most of my tax return from that year to pay off the balance just to get them to leave me alone.
I will admit that during this period, I transferred to a full-time position and probably could have easily scheduled the recurring payment, but by that point, it was the principle of the thing. And I started paying it randomly throughout the month because they’d annoyed me so much. I still don’t understand their thought process. If it was a matter of me having skipped some payments, then I could see collections being brought into things. But they were getting paid every month, so why the h*** did it matter if I was doing it on the same day or not?
