re: BR Clinic question

[quote]You are absolutely correct. Problem is, no one else wants to step up to the plate and help out the poor other than the Lake and their clinic physicians. Then people complain that the Lake is a shithole. Well others need to step up and help take care of all these “poor” people. One hospital and their docs can’t do it alone. The Lake recognized that BR was going to have a problem once EKL closed and chose to help out. Little did they know they would be taking on way more than their share.[/quote
Thank Bobby Jindal-OLOL system is only hospital organization in BR that gets government reimbursement for non paying patients. Others agreed to see such patients if reimbursement would follow the patients, but were denied. OLOL wanted the medical resident education money and froze others out. This is their reward.

So you are mad that they wouldn't let you see your doctor until you paid the $29 you owed him/the clinic from a previous visit? You sound petty. I couldn't imagine being 60 years old and getting frustrated over a $29 dollar bill I rightfully owe to a place I've had a relationship with for 20 years.

Same thing happened to me. It wasn’t the fact they wanted to collect they money it was that I had just got the bill in mail the day before.
Backstory, see doc and set surgery date 3 weeks out and tells me to have labs done before date. I check in for labs told to have a seat and then called back up and told I have a balance that must be paid before labs. I explain I just had doc appointment two weeks ago and just got a bill yesterday with a due date a few weeks out, she says sorry must be paid now or no labs

Don’t think his issue is with them collecting, it’s the WAY the whole company goes about it. Comes off as very money hungry operation. No subtleness at all.

To the OP

I understand that you felt bombarded as that has not been the way that clinic has ran business in the past....but healthcare is evolving as we speak, and historically the clinic was unable to view your benefits and determine the ultimate amount of your responsibility on the spot (and now they can), so it became a "we will run it through insurance and let you know"....you sound like one of the responsible ones and paid that bill when it came, trust me... many do not, and then the healthcare business becomes the banking and collecting business..add to that that more financial responsibility is shifting to the consumer so those copays and deductibles are becoming a bigger part of the pie, the healthcare providers are becoming more aggressive and collecting at time of service...now to your credit ...a letter to existing patients explaining how and why collections was changing would have been the best avenue, and could the receptionist been more cordial, I will not disagree