Medical billing time limitations?

[ljerr2]

Illinois/Iowa - A medical practitioner bills (first notification) for services completed over two years ago. Are there any time limitations or can they send you bills for work performed from whenever?

 

[dorenephilpot]

Question here: Do you think the fact that the bill is late somehow should be used to justify not paying a legitimate bill for services that you asked the doctor to render to you?

The real question here: Do you owe the money or don't you?

If you received the services, pay the bill already.

If you didn't, you can dispute the bill, and one of the ways to dispute a bill is to say that the statute of limitations has expired on collections.

I do not know whether that is the case or not in your state, but feel free to check.

 

[VeronicaGia]

I just had the same thing happen to me recently and here's what the insurance company told me.

Since I had insurance, as long as the doctor billed the insurance company within a reasonable amount of time, which they did, then I am responsible for my portion. If the doctor tried to bill the insurance company past a certain amount of time, neither they nor I would be responsible to pay. The insurance company did not get specific as to how much time was too much.

You will have to pay the bill. Likely, the doctor audited their records and found they never billed you. You can pay in installments. I just started paying $25/month three months in a row, and they just bill me $25/month now, until it is paid off. Most people are reasonable if you are also reasonable.

 

[lovemybabies]

Same thing here but it has been 5 years. My husbands x wife got a bill from 5 years ago and mailed it to us to pay. we pay whatever we can afford a month. They will work with you as long as you show them you are trying to pay it off. You said you knew that the insurance paid then they sent you the rest of the bill. So, when you didnt recieve a bill why didnt you question the dr. In my case i couldnt do that cause i have only been married to my hubby for 3 years and the bill is 5 years old. I didnt even know it existed.....