The Mother Of All Billing Problems

(I just had my daughter. Halfway through my pregnancy I was forced to take a new doctor who kept saying I was going to have a small kid because I was small, and when I told him my son was almost eight pounds he laughed and said no way. When I was in labor they had my friend help because the nurses were in other rooms. I am so happy when I get home, but about a week after I get home I find a bill for having my daughter. My insurance covers all of it (same I had for when I had my son). First I call my insurance and they say they never got the bill, so I call the hospital and they send me to the billing section.)

Employee: “How can I help you?”

Me: “Yes, I got this bill and my insurance covers everything.”

Employee: *a little nasty* “Well, maybe your insurance doesn’t cover all of it. A lot of people think their insurance covers everything and it doesn’t.”

Me: “I just called them and they said they never got it.”

Employee: “Oh… well, you need to give us your bill.”

Me: “I live an hour away and have a newborn. You can’t send them a copy?”

Employee: “No, we need to send them the exact bill you have right now.”

Me: “Fine.”

(I drive there and I can tell they are not too happy, but they give me a fake smile and take it. My insurance calls me to say they got the bill that day and got another copy (most likely the one I made them send) about three days after. Two weeks later I get a bill for $800, so once again I call them up.)

Employee #2: “Sorry, your insurance said they won’t pay for your pain killers.”

Me: “I didn’t get any and this bill says it is for the something else.”

Employee #2: “None? Well, you must be a pretty cra—”

Me: “I don’t want to hear it right now.” *the hospital kept making jokes about me not using pain killers the whole time I was there*

Employee #2: “Oh, it says they didn’t send this part of the bill. I will write down to rebill them.”

Me: “I am not driving up there to give you this bill and how did you not send them all the bill?”

Employee #2: “No, that is crazy. We don’t need your bill. Why would we make you drive up here?”

(She also never answers on how they hadn’t sent all of it. I tell her thanks and two weeks later get another bill for $300.)

Me: “I am starting to get a little agitated.”

Employee #3: “I am sorry, but your insurance said you had to pay.”

(I call the insurance and they tell me they paid for everything on the bill they got. When I call back I get Employee #3 again.)

Me: “They said they paid for all of it.”

Employee #3: “I will have to check. Don’t worry about this bill.”

Me: “I am not. Thank you, good-bye.”

(Two weeks later I get another bill for $25. I just pay, thinking it is low enough and as long as it ends it. Once again, two weeks after I get another bill for $25. Every bill I get states that each time the insurance is paid and even the last $25 is paid.)

Me: “I already paid you! My insurance paid you what is going on.”

Employee #4: “It says you still owe us.”

Me: “I have every bill you gave to me. I even made a copy of the original one. I paid your $25 so I should be all good.”

Employee #4: “You… kept all the bills?”

Me: “Of course. Even if it is all good I keep them.”

(I have learned to always keep a copy of your paid bills.)

Employee #4: “Let me talk to someone. I will be right back.”

(I hear the person running off. I wait and hear some fast loud talking voices but can’t make out what they say.)

Employee #4: “Okay, well, we will fix this. Don’t worry about your bill.”

Me: “I won’t.”

(I haven’t heard anything from them since. I ran into a few mothers who had kids around my daughter’s age and they said the same thing happened to them. Not sure if they kept mixing bills or it was a scam the hospital was trying.)