I don't think I've been this pissed off since...well, since I went for the HSG in April at the sh*tty hospital (SH) and the doctor REFUSED to do it.   Guess what I got in the mail today? Yep, a BILL for the "service" SH REFUSED to provide.

You'll recall, if not see my entry dated 4/15/09, I waited for several HOURS, was forced to take a pregnancy test, got half naked, was on the table and the doctor, who apparently didn't like the way the prescription was written, not only refused to do the procedure, but REFUSED to even talk to me. All of the information from him was relayed back and forth between HIS ASSISTANT. That's right folks, he refused to even tell me to my face why he wouldn't to do the procedure. Fucking prick.  

I am boiling right now. They billed the insurance company $529 and me $298!  I guess SH's head of radiology forgot she swore to DH that neither we nor the insurance company would be billed for their "miscommunication."

First, I called SH to find out WTF I am getting a bill for their non-service. Of course they can't tell me anything. She couldn't even tell me what the bill was for. WTF?!   All she could do was put my account on hold and tell me she'd send me a detailed bill and that if I still disputed it I could request a hospital audit. I told her to send me the audit form with the detailed bill because I was absolutely certain that they didn't provide me a single service, other than an unnecessary pregnancy test (which I am SURE didn't cost $529). She informed me that she can't do that, that I must call back and request an audit AFTER I get their detailed bill. UGH!!! I asked her who would be doing the audit (why SH will be doing their own audit of course) because I'd been promised that no bills would result from this non-service and here I am holding a bill 5 MONTHS later, so how could I trust an audit performed by them?! She didn't have an answer for that.  F*cking morons.

Next, I called the insurance company and found that they indeed received a bill, a lab bill to be exact, from SH for that date-of-service, but that they denied the claim--go Ae*tna!   She informed me that SH is NOT allowed to bill for this service, that they have a contract with SH that any lab work done inside SH is NOT the patient's responsibility. (Of course the insurance company has no idea the doctor refused to do the procedure, they just denied the claim based on the contract.) She took the number of SH's billing department, called them herself to let them know that they, SH, have a contract* and that I should never have been billed. Apparently, SH "misread" the EOB and thought they could bill me.  This is pure BS. I'm sure they were just hoping I'd pay them, contract or not. Supposedly, my file at SH is going to be updated to reflect this information, but I have no faith that this will actually happen and am sure I will be getting a past due bill in about 35 days.

I can't believe that they would bill $529 in lab services when all they did was an unnecessary pregnancy test. Unfuckingbelievable! I've heard of hospitals billing $20 for a single aspirin, etc, but this is utterly ridiculous.

*Coincidently, we received a letter the other day from our insurance company that they are no longer doing business with SH. I imagine crap like this might be why...