Question:
I've been having problems with billing at the Medical Center in Show
Low, Arizona. No big surprise there, since they are so notoriously
incompetent at Navapache Regional Medical Center. But now the
radiologist has sent me to a collection agency, and I didn't even know I
owed them any money.
They don't have centralized biling, so all the doctors and such bill you
seperately. Sometimes they bill Medicare and my primarey insurance in
the wrong order, which delays them getting paid in full. So it's hard to
keep track of who's been paid off and who has not because I've got five
different billing agencies for the same surgery.
The radiologist, a Mr. James McEvoy, and his business White Mountain
Radiology, do not deal directly with thier customers and do give a damn
if their former patients are having billing problems. Their billing
agency in Sedona did not warn me with letter or phone call when they
grew impatient for my insurance to pay up in full. I found out when I
recieved a letter from a collection agency for the unpaid balance of $18.12.
Is this typical of medical care in Arizona? Or is this just unique with
Navapache Regional Medical Center? Will I have better luck if I take my
business elsewhere, or is this typical of what I can expect in this
state? Has anyone else had problems with Navapache Hospital and accounts
being turned over to collection agencies, or am I overreacting?
Answer:
My daughter has had a series of medical problems over the last 5 years
and has found a similar situation exists in Phoenix. She has a PPO thru
her employer and they are nortorious for late payments to the various
doctors and hospitals. Sonora Labs put her into collections for a bill
that the insurance acknowledges, but has not paid in 6 months.
We found out that the current tactic is that doctors, surgeons and gas
passers
are not paid through the hospital, as they once were. She was put into
collections through a medical collection company in San Diego for a bill
that she didn't know about and had never been billed for.
In summary, you may have to add a legal tab onto the cost of medical,
getting the health care insurance companies to cough up on time.
