They wont file.

[longsally111]

What is the name of your state? South Carolina

This is a little backwards. I took my son to a doc in a box urgent care center about 1 year ago. We had changed insurance from BCBS to Blues choice ( used to be companion). I started getting bills, they did not file with the new insurance. I called and followed up and found they filed to the wrong people. I was assured they would handle it. Got a letter in August/2006 threatening collections. Called again and they again verified that for whatever reason, they did NOT file with blues choice. They apologized and assured me it would be taken care of.
Now, it is January and I get a call from a collection agency stating I was turned in for non-payment of the bill. I called again and was told that, yes, they had NOT filed insurance. I got upset and told the woman that it is not that I cannot pay. I gave my co-pay and am fully insured, It is not my fault if they dont file for the money. Is there anything legally I can do if they do not file correctly? Do they have the right to have a bad billing department and I have to have this on my credit? That is the currect threat from the CA. What can I do?

 

[TigerD]

Is there anything legally I can do if they do not file correctly?

Yes, what you should have done is paid the bills and sent them to your insurer.

Do they have the right to have a bad billing department and I have to have this on my credit?

Yes. You should have paid the bill and submitted it to your insurer.

That is the currect threat from the CA. What can I do?

It isn't a threat. It is the result of your failure to make sure the bill was paid.
You need to pay the bill.

DC

 

[longsally111]

then why have insurance

But DC, I didnt refuse to pay the bill. I was told that only my co-pay was required, that insurance took care of the rest. If that is the case, what am I paying insurance for?

 

[Zigner]

But DC, I didnt refuse to pay the bill. I was told that only my co-pay was required, that insurance took care of the rest. If that is the case, what am I paying insurance for?

You always had (and probably still have) the option of submitting the unpaid bills to the insurance company yourself, allowing the provider to be paid.

 

[longsally111]

They called

That is true. I did get a call yesterday from them again. They apologized again, told me that they stopped the collections efforts and that they are submitting the bill and I should know something within 3 weeks. What a mess.

 

[moburkes]

What is the name of your state? South Carolina

This is a little backwards. I took my son to a doc in a box urgent care center about 1 year ago. We had changed insurance from BCBS to Blues choice ( used to be companion). I started getting bills, they did not file with the new insurance. I called and followed up and found they filed to the wrong people. I was assured they would handle it. Got a letter in August/2006 threatening collections. Called again and they again verified that for whatever reason, they did NOT file with blues choice. They apologized and assured me it would be taken care of.
Now, it is January and I get a call from a collection agency stating I was turned in for non-payment of the bill. I called again and was told that, yes, they had NOT filed insurance. I got upset and told the woman that it is not that I cannot pay. I gave my co-pay and am fully insured, It is not my fault if they dont file for the money. Is there anything legally I can do if they do not file correctly? Do they have the right to have a bad billing department and I have to have this on my credit? That is the currect threat from the CA. What can I do?

You do realize that you caused this mess? How did they bill the wrong insurance company unless you gave them the wrong insurance card?

Yes, you should have either 1. paid the bill and gotten reimbursement from your insurance company OR 2. submitted the bill to the correct insurance company for payment.

 

[longsally111]

huh?

I did not give them the wrong card. They had BCBS on file. When we went in, I gave them the new card. They made a copy of it and stated that all new claims would be filed to them. For some reason, they keep trying to file with the old insurance. How is that my fault?

 

[moburkes]

I did not give them the wrong card. They had BCBS on file. When we went in, I gave them the new card. They made a copy of it and stated that all new claims would be filed to them. For some reason, they keep trying to file with the old insurance. How is that my fault?

You never stated that. You only stated that you took him to a doc in a box, at which point it appeared that this was your first visit there. You stated that your insurance company changed, but nothing about them having had the old information from a previous visit.

 

[lealea1005]

I did not give them the wrong card. They had BCBS on file. When we went in, I gave them the new card. They made a copy of it and stated that all new claims would be filed to them. For some reason, they keep trying to file with the old insurance. How is that my fault?

If they had the correct information and were contracted by Blue Cross/BlueChoice and failed to file your claim within the "timely filing" period, they cannot make you pay for the services.

Did you write down the dates you contacted the UC center and the names of the people you spoke with?

Moburkes is right, your posts were unclear.

 

[longsally111]

sorry about that

If they had the correct information and were contracted by Blue Cross/BlueChoice and failed to file your claim within the "timely filing" period, they cannot make you pay for the services.

Did you write down the dates you contacted the UC center and the names of the people you spoke with?

Moburkes is right, your posts were unclear.

Sorry I was not clear. I do have the dates and the names of the people I spoke with. That is what I was worried about though. That now, Blues Choice will say it has been too long and they will not pay. I don't think I should be libel for the bill if they could not get their act together. Everytime I called, They confirmed that they were filing to the wrong company and that they had the copy of the new card.. This is so frustrating. Maybe I should pay all bills and then I should deal with insurance. Sort of a pain though.

 

[Ladynred]

Ok, the bottom line here is that YOU are the one responsible for paying the bill ! I've never been to a single medical office or facility where they do not state that pretty clearly. Them filing the claim for you is a convenience, for both parties, but it in NO WAY relieves you of being the one responsible for payment. Pay the bill, then submit the claim with the CORRECT insurance company !