HELP being screwed!

I went to a doctors office 2 weeks ago. The lady at the front desk said it would cost me $42.00. I paid that by credit card, I have a reciept and I have a handwritten reciept as well. There is nothing written in the balance due box.

I just got an invoice from them stating that I owe $35. When I called to question them they said it was because I required a level 2 treatment and was only charged for a level 1. I was like WHAT?!

Here is my gripe. 1) I specifically asked the lady at the desk was this all it cost? and she said yes thats it.

2)Then the nurse in the back said I had already paid so I could leave.

Nobody ever told me I might have to pay more money later, nobody told me they could charge me more money a week later. I left that place with a reciept in hand thinking I was paid in full. Nobody stopped to tell me I might have to pay more money at a later date, everyone told me I was paid up and I paid in advance as they required.

Now the secretary is screaming at me saying If I don't pay up she will not take it out of the computer but turn it over to the main office and then they will turn it over to a credit agency.

Nobody told me I might be charged more later ever. Now they have decided they want more money from me and I thought I was paid up. Is this legal? Can I force them to remove the balance from my account? What can I do? Please help me! I am a preschool teacher and make minumum wage, I can't afford to have bad credit but they are wrong! Someone should have been legally required to tell me if I could get charged more later and then they should have told me while I was at the office not in the mail a week later. What can I do?

[bigun]

All of this over $35. Grow up. Tell 'emyou'll pay $10/week or month and pay it. Would you have refused treatment had they given you the right quote the first time?

[JETX]

Pay them the $35.00.

Then, if you truly feel that it was wrong, sue them in small claims court.

I guess I could do that, but whats to stop them from doing it again maybe they will decide a week from now I owe them another 30 dollars. Looks like I have to hit the books in the library and look for consumer protection laws.

And if growing up means giving in I hope I never grow up. What is right is right. No amount of growing up will change that.

[JETX]

Let me save you a lot of time and reading.... next time, do what you should have in this case. Get a receipt that says "PAID IN FULL". Then, if the merchant/doctor comes back for additional money you are protected. At least for that transaction.

Frosta, it is not common that you receive a seperate bill for lab fees and diagnostic imaging from the doctors office after a visit.The billing department is who you should direct your questions to, not the receptionist .Everytime you visit a doctors office you should know about your insurance and what it covers.If you pay in cash always get a receipt.If you use public aid have the card before the visit.I suggest writing the billing department director and explaining that you were confused and ask for a print out of the statement and explanantion to the extra charges.They do work out payment plans.And I suggest finding a new facility to go to if they give you further problems. I am not a lawyer just a healthcare worker...this is just civilian advice.....

Thank you all. I think your right I may have to swallow this. Next time I will have them write paid in full. Im going to mail copies of my reciepts with a very pointed and rather unkind (but civil, my momma raised me right) letter.

Thanks for the advice all much appreciated.

Peace

The squeaky wheel gets the grease. I went to the top level and stated my complaints and they apologized profusely and said it was a computer glitch. They cleared the bill. I KNEW I WAS RIGHT!