So much for a "family" orientated practice. The family practice we go to started charging a 1% fee on all balances if not paid in full. Well in normal cases that would just be a $1 or 2 not so bad. Our 2nd son was born in August and the insurance company just paid their final part and fought for months on the others, yes it was what they were supposed to pay. So we've been paying to the tune of almost $20 a month of charges that we had no control over and they refuse to refund it! None of the other doctors or hospitals do this. What's bad is we like the doctors... hate switching but that's what we're going to do. Must not be the only ones I was wondering why we could get in for appointments so quick were there used to be a 2 week wait.
1% fee at the doctor's office
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JHZR2
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Boat payments need to be made. Come on!
Did you sign to agree to that fee structure? If not, I'd make the case that it is a surcharge that is being imposed without reason and sue them for all of it back. The cost of litigation will be high enough that they will pay it.
There are a lot of these things going on that are whittling away at our pocketbooks and are against rules and regulations. A few that I can think of:
-credit card minimums
-asking for ID for purchases
-unauthorized surcharges for payments
Did you sign to agree to that fee structure? If not, I'd make the case that it is a surcharge that is being imposed without reason and sue them for all of it back. The cost of litigation will be high enough that they will pay it.
There are a lot of these things going on that are whittling away at our pocketbooks and are against rules and regulations. A few that I can think of:
-credit card minimums
-asking for ID for purchases
-unauthorized surcharges for payments
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Boat payments need to be made. Come on!
Did you sign to agree to that fee structure? If not, I'd make the case that it is a surcharge that is being imposed without reason and sue them for all of it back. The cost of litigation will be high enough that they will pay it.
There are a lot of these things going on that are whittling away at our pocketbooks and are against rules and regulations. A few that I can think of:
-credit card minimums
-asking for ID for purchases
-unauthorized surcharges for payments
Well of course sue them. That's the American way.
Boat payments need to be made. Come on!
Did you sign to agree to that fee structure? If not, I'd make the case that it is a surcharge that is being imposed without reason and sue them for all of it back. The cost of litigation will be high enough that they will pay it.
There are a lot of these things going on that are whittling away at our pocketbooks and are against rules and regulations. A few that I can think of:
-credit card minimums
-asking for ID for purchases
-unauthorized surcharges for payments
Well of course sue them. That's the American way.
If you put the charges on a credit card or take out a loan, you'd have to pay interest. There's no such thing as free lunch.
If it is the insurance company's fault that they didn't pay the doctors on time, and the doctors are in their network, you should not be liable for any payment outside of what is agreed upon in your insurance policy.
If the doctors office charge you bloated fees like these that has nothing to do with your fault, you should complain to all sorts of association (AMA, for example) and ask them to stop.
However, if it is an out of network doctor, you are on your own.
If the doctors office charge you bloated fees like these that has nothing to do with your fault, you should complain to all sorts of association (AMA, for example) and ask them to stop.
However, if it is an out of network doctor, you are on your own.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Boat payments need to be made. Come on!
I'd say the business problems of that doctors office are bigger than boat payments. More likely they can't make payroll, difficult to cut the salaries of the secretaries and nurses, so the docs are taking a paycut to keep the office afloat. it's usually That time when they turn to their business advisors for help and they come up with surcharge ideas.
The next thing is to Look to see if staff or docs start to leave the office. Telltale sign of impending closure.
Boat payments need to be made. Come on!
I'd say the business problems of that doctors office are bigger than boat payments. More likely they can't make payroll, difficult to cut the salaries of the secretaries and nurses, so the docs are taking a paycut to keep the office afloat. it's usually That time when they turn to their business advisors for help and they come up with surcharge ideas.
The next thing is to Look to see if staff or docs start to leave the office. Telltale sign of impending closure.
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Must not be the only ones I was wondering why we could get in for appointments so quick were there used to be a 2 week wait.
Lot of people said the heck with health insurance and just use the closest hospital ER as the primary source for their healthcare.
Must not be the only ones I was wondering why we could get in for appointments so quick were there used to be a 2 week wait.
Lot of people said the heck with health insurance and just use the closest hospital ER as the primary source for their healthcare.
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
What's bad is we like the doctors.. there used to be a 2 week wait.
Hard to understand why you would like a practice that it takes 2 weeks for an appointment. We can always get an appointment the next day...maybe not to the doc of our choice, but with a doc.
What's bad is we like the doctors.. there used to be a 2 week wait.
Hard to understand why you would like a practice that it takes 2 weeks for an appointment. We can always get an appointment the next day...maybe not to the doc of our choice, but with a doc.
Free lunch? You do know how much they charge right? Not complaining about the cost as you get what you pay for. 1% is a drop in the bucket. No one got a notice they were going to start charging the fee just showed up one trip to the doctors. We've been going there for over 6 years.
The practice is in our network so that's not a issue.
I know at the hospital I work for that's what most do.. just go to the ER. Actually if isn't something we need to see the doc we just go to the urgent care much easier.
We will be paying them once we get our tax refund. Seriously thinking about subtracting the fees and making them come after us.
The practice is in our network so that's not a issue.
I know at the hospital I work for that's what most do.. just go to the ER. Actually if isn't something we need to see the doc we just go to the urgent care much easier.
We will be paying them once we get our tax refund. Seriously thinking about subtracting the fees and making them come after us.
Since it is a fee that you are being charged because the insurance company didn't pay up then I'd talk to the insurance company. If in network the doctor is suppose to take the payment as paid in full and you only suppose to be liable for the deductible. Maybe the insurance company will have better luck with the doctor. Otherwise maybe a BBB complaint. Either way after all is settled I would be changing doctors. And I would send a letter to your doctor stating why.
Originally Posted By: 65cuda
Since it is a fee that you are being charged because the insurance company didn't pay up then I'd talk to the insurance company. If in network the doctor is suppose to take the payment as paid in full and you only suppose to be liable for the deductible. Maybe the insurance company will have better luck with the doctor. Otherwise maybe a BBB complaint. Either way after all is settled I would be changing doctors. And I would send a letter to your doctor stating why.
Doctors have options of dropping out of a particular network, that happens all the time, but they shouldn't put the patients on the spot just because insurance is late in payment.
Since it is a fee that you are being charged because the insurance company didn't pay up then I'd talk to the insurance company. If in network the doctor is suppose to take the payment as paid in full and you only suppose to be liable for the deductible. Maybe the insurance company will have better luck with the doctor. Otherwise maybe a BBB complaint. Either way after all is settled I would be changing doctors. And I would send a letter to your doctor stating why.
Doctors have options of dropping out of a particular network, that happens all the time, but they shouldn't put the patients on the spot just because insurance is late in payment.
Give your insurance company a call. Their agreements with their providers may not allow these types of surcharges.
If the practitioner doesn't like dealing with an insurer, they can leave that network. My old eye doctor did so with my insurance company. He explained why he made the choice he did, and wished us the best when we went to a new doctor.
If the practitioner doesn't like dealing with an insurer, they can leave that network. My old eye doctor did so with my insurance company. He explained why he made the choice he did, and wished us the best when we went to a new doctor.
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Boat payments need to be made. Come on!
Did you sign to agree to that fee structure? If not, I'd make the case that it is a surcharge that is being imposed without reason and sue them for all of it back. The cost of litigation will be high enough that they will pay it.
There are a lot of these things going on that are whittling away at our pocketbooks and are against rules and regulations. A few that I can think of:
-credit card minimums
-asking for ID for purchases
-unauthorized surcharges for payments
Well of course sue them. That's the American way.
While society is overly sue happy, reading the other posts indicates that others were thinking the same thing.
If the OP did not agree to any sort of a fee structure like that, then to have a surcharge imposed upon him due to no fault of his own is frivolous and bad practice. If there was no acceptance of such terms then it is a valid thing to litigate.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Boat payments need to be made. Come on!
Did you sign to agree to that fee structure? If not, I'd make the case that it is a surcharge that is being imposed without reason and sue them for all of it back. The cost of litigation will be high enough that they will pay it.
There are a lot of these things going on that are whittling away at our pocketbooks and are against rules and regulations. A few that I can think of:
-credit card minimums
-asking for ID for purchases
-unauthorized surcharges for payments
Well of course sue them. That's the American way.
While society is overly sue happy, reading the other posts indicates that others were thinking the same thing.
If the OP did not agree to any sort of a fee structure like that, then to have a surcharge imposed upon him due to no fault of his own is frivolous and bad practice. If there was no acceptance of such terms then it is a valid thing to litigate.
I just started going to a new dentist, I was blown away after my initial consultation with a tech, they led me to office managers desk and sat me down. They had already contacted my insurance and had a policy/coverage on the desk.. my total for services rendered was going to be $980.00, he said my insurance was going to cover all but $380.00 of my future bill. Great ! he then said they must collect atleast 60% up front before any service was rendered (i was shocked by this) He said this was now common practice at most dentist office in our area. SO i gave hime the 60% of $380.00 and was back a few days later to get one of two appointments out of the way, Upon arriving at the second appointment i was told i had a balance of another $250.00 this would have been a total of approx $490.00 out of pocket.. i stopped the girl and told her i wanted to see the manager as this was not what i was quoted.. the girl at the desk came back and told be the manager was out sick, but there had been a error and now i only owed $27 dollars ??? whaaaa ???? something seemed hanky.. but the original 60/40 the 40% was now only $27.00 ????
Anyways as i was getting the work done on the second appointment i option for a oral product came into play (fillings) I was told it would be a additional $20.00 per tooth for "tooth colored fillings" i agreed and when i was done and paying the bill was twice what the tech in the back doing the work quoted me.. the girl appoligized and said she would make sure no further quotes were given by techs doing the work in the back.. I ended up paying twice the amount i was quoted.. so by the time i left i paid the original 40% just in a different way.. it all worked out but i was not jazzed about paying for services rendered before they were rendered.
Anyways as i was getting the work done on the second appointment i option for a oral product came into play (fillings) I was told it would be a additional $20.00 per tooth for "tooth colored fillings" i agreed and when i was done and paying the bill was twice what the tech in the back doing the work quoted me.. the girl appoligized and said she would make sure no further quotes were given by techs doing the work in the back.. I ended up paying twice the amount i was quoted.. so by the time i left i paid the original 40% just in a different way.. it all worked out but i was not jazzed about paying for services rendered before they were rendered.
I guess that I'm spoiled by the people I've dealt with. If I was told it was going to be X price then that is what it was. Now one time a long time ago a dentist told me that I needed a root canal. I asked how much it would cost me and he said $200. when it came time for the cap I was told it would be another $200. Kind of got suckered that time but since then I try to be more forward and make sure what I would be out.
JHZR2
Staff member
Asking is good. Doctors and the medical industry in general has ripped us a new one for too long because people dont pay any attention to this stuff, given that insurance just pays it...
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Doctors have options of dropping out of a particular network, that happens all the time, but they shouldn't put the patients on the spot just because insurance is late in payment.
I had an ER visit bill show up almost 2 years after the fact (this was several years ago). I had extremely good insurance (90/10 with $10 copay and a $200 deductible).
They were asking for around $200. I contacted the insurance company and they were never billed for these services, though they were billed for other services rendered in that same visit. The insurance company (who I was no longer even with) told me "Don't pay. As per their contract with us, they had 14 months to submit the bill to us. They didn't uphold their end of the contract. We will not pay this and you are not responsible per the contract the hospital signed with us.
The insurance gal was even nice enough to call up the hospital and tell them to go pound sand on their behalf and mine.
Doctors have options of dropping out of a particular network, that happens all the time, but they shouldn't put the patients on the spot just because insurance is late in payment.
I had an ER visit bill show up almost 2 years after the fact (this was several years ago). I had extremely good insurance (90/10 with $10 copay and a $200 deductible).
They were asking for around $200. I contacted the insurance company and they were never billed for these services, though they were billed for other services rendered in that same visit. The insurance company (who I was no longer even with) told me "Don't pay. As per their contract with us, they had 14 months to submit the bill to us. They didn't uphold their end of the contract. We will not pay this and you are not responsible per the contract the hospital signed with us.
The insurance gal was even nice enough to call up the hospital and tell them to go pound sand on their behalf and mine.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Asking is good. Doctors and the medical industry in general has ripped us a new one for too long because people dont pay any attention to this stuff, given that insurance just pays it...
This is so spot on I almost teared up.
Nothing has been worse for us as citizens than the medical monopoly that is the AMA and the insurance companies holding the purse strings.
Asking is good. Doctors and the medical industry in general has ripped us a new one for too long because people dont pay any attention to this stuff, given that insurance just pays it...
This is so spot on I almost teared up.
Nothing has been worse for us as citizens than the medical monopoly that is the AMA and the insurance companies holding the purse strings.
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