Medical Billing has gone mad

I took my kid in June 2018 to her pediatrician for a "physical" that she needed to attend a camp. Our co-pay is $25 and the doc ALWAYS collects it right when we get there. When I was there, I was told that since it was a physical, it would count as our annual "wellness visit" and there was no co-pay. Fair enough.

Fast forward to last week, or 11 months after the visit. I get a bill from LCMC (her pedi is part of a medical group owned by them)... for $25, from the visit in June 2018. The bill shows that insurance company paid whatever and my co-pay which is due is $25.

I call LCMC's financial line, wait 20 min on hold, and finally get a clueless woman who basically says it's not their fault, they submitted the claim "correctly". They say to call Blue Cross.

I call Blue Cross, wait 15 min on hold, and get a lady that basically tells me that LCMC submitted the claim but didn't use the "wellness visit" code, and that I can certainly contact LCMC and ask them to resubmit.

Having wasted enough time, I say F it, it's $25, I'll just pay it.

I go online last night to pay the bill. You can only pay the bill if you have an account with them. You can only set up an account with them if you have an authorization code from your doctor. F it, doc is closed for the night, I'll just call and pay tomorrow.

So this morning I call to pay. 25 minute wait on hold. Finally get a nice woman on the phone, who at first wouldn't let me actually pay the bill because my wife was listed as the guarantor. She finally agrees to accept my payment if I can verify us. She asks me a bunch of verification questions on my wife's info, which I know all of the answers. Finally, she says, ok, I'll take your payment over the phone, and it's handled.

I know HIPPA scares the everliving hell out of medical companies. But there is no way, no how, the intention of HIPPA would be to make it a PITA to make a payment.

We might have the greatest doctors in the world, but the supporting system is just terrible.