Originally Posted By: GeaugaFletcher
Originally Posted By: Gary Allen
Put him on the $5/month club. Nothing can be done to you.
Yup, if you're making payments, it's an honest effort to pay back the debt, they have little (maybe no) recourse.
I've offered to pay the normal managed care negotiated amount. All I get is silence. Let me explain: I got sent to a specialist (and anesthesiologist) for a steroid shot in my back. The neurologist was in my "network". The anesthesiologist, was not. Both took BC/[censored] ..but he was through Indendpence BC/[censored], and I had Capital BC/[censored]. I argued that if this was Medicare, DPW, IBX, or any number of other entities, I would receive the preferred rate, but since I was covered but out of network, I got to PAY MORE than any of them ....including cash pay (I'm covered and get to pay more cash than a cash pay :confused). Now I do get to turn in the bill (once paid) and if I reach my deductible, get Xx% back ..but....
In the same letter, I said that the alternative would be $5/month (I actually make it $5.01 for making it more of a hassle for data entry - to "spread the angst") and that it will be (however - up to 83 in one case) xx months for full payment. Since I use BillPay, the postage isn't really an issue (you get so many payments for the minimum fee - which is less than postage).
My best coup was a scam ambulance service. My daughter needed to go to Childrens Hospital of Phila (CHOP) since the local hospital was more aligned with geriatrics than pediatrics. The attending was going to get local transportation when CHOP preempted him and said "OH, we have our own transport". A private outfit shows up ..and I get a bill for $1700 for a 30 26 mile ride. My insurance, in an oddity of coverage, only covered $150. I call them up and ask for an explanation. They said that since she was on oxygen, it was "advanced life support" and bumped the $1100 fee to $1700. I said it was a routine transport of an asthma patient and no "life support" was provided in any manner. I also stated that I could have rented a Winnebago and two per diem nurses for less. They said "Yeah, so?". I gave them the same stuff (dpw, etc..etc) and, again, SINCE I was covered but underly so, they expected 100% of the "funny money" inflated charges (all medical charges are in "funny money" $$).
I finally told them that I was going to have the Attorney General investigate the relationship between the hospital and the ambulance service since this wasn't a CHOP ambulance.
I never got another bill. I have to assume that the guy who called the outfit was running a kickback scam. In either event, they would have waited an eternity to get their money for the lack of sensible charges.
This is a "policy". That is, I'm convinced that there is some advice/advised doctrine of how to handle (or actually, not handle) this situation. Otherwise it would not be so wide spread and uniform. "Don't you dare tamper with the funny money culture as it has stood and developed over decades!!!" type thing.
I like the idea of paying the original creditor and letting the collection snakes hassle it out for themselves.
