quote:
Why does it seem in the last few yrs I’ve been inundated with medical bills? I have 3 kids between the ages of 4 and 12, but every visit any of us go to I seemingly pay a copay and still get these stupid bills? Some I’ll even go, they tell me nothing is owed and still end up dealing with this nonsense. I guess I need to start keeping records of all of this to make sure I’m not being double billed, but why can’t they get it right from go?

Can't speak to anyone else's experience but about 10 years ago I started paying attention to EOBs and have not had a bill from a medical provider that was legit since. I get billed every single time one of us goes to any doctor...makes no difference, they are all the same in my experience, and when they find you have the EOB handy they usually make out as if they will waive the unpaid amount, as if they are doing you a solid. Sometimes they will attempt to stick to their guns...but if you stay the course they will finally admit they just sent the bill by mistake...each and every time a patient has an appointment they send the bill by mistake.

My Dad, 84 years old, is on Medicare. He goes to a doctor at least 4 days a week. They ALL, every last one of them, send him these billing "mistakes"...every single time...sometimes they sell those "mistakes" to collection agencies. Medicare sends EOBs just like ALL insurance companies do and every one of them say he owes the provider nothing.

Systematically sending erroneous bills through the mail has been called mail fraud when others do it. Medical professionals, again anecdotally for everyone I ever knew, routinely send these billing "mistakes" to their patients. I am certain some will come here and claim this never happens and that providers would never ever do such a thing and to you I say bless your heart...in my 58 years everyone I ever talked about this with has experienced the exact same thing.

Keep you EOBs and know what is in them. Know what your provider is doing and what they are charging for. You will save yourself a heap of money. It is a systematic fraud perpetuated by every provider I ever dealt with or any that anyone I ever knew dealt with.