I wait to pay medical bills because the first billing is almost always wrong. The medical office is waiting for an insurance payment, or a deduction based on some deal that the medical office has made with the insurance company which reduces my bill hasn’t been received, or, and this happens to me a regular basis, the bill is just wrong and the medical office will sort it out on about the third time it bills me. After all this to and fro with payments, I then jump in fairly confident that I am now dealing with the amount I owe.

Back in May, I started the process with one such bill and found that I owed $35. I could account for $15 but I couldn’t account for the other $20. I examined my bill and found the missing $20 but it was showing as a payment and not a debit. I called the office and explained my situation to a Customer Service representative. She went through the bill and saw the problem and instantly was confused. “It is in the wrong column.” My concern was what if it is in the right column but wasn’t deducted as it should have been and could she ascertain whether itr was a credit or a debit. She puts me on hold in order to talk to a supervisor. After about ten minutes she returns, she and her supervisor were unable to determine whether the $20 was a payment or a charge and she would need to investigate. She assured me that she would call me back. She did not.

So in June, I received another bill for $35. I again call Customer Service. This time I was unable to reach a representative. There were too many calls in the queue and my wait time would be something like a half of an hour. I was instructed to leave my phone number and a brief explanation of my problem and that I would get a return call within 48 hours. I never received a response.

In July, I received another bill for $35. I again called Customer Service. I again was unable to reach a representative and was told there would be a long wait before I could talk to one. I again left a message but added the number of futile attempts I had made to resolve this matter and how I would really appreciate a return phone call. No one called me.

I didn’t receive any bill in July, August or September. Thinking that the matter had been resolved, I waited to receive the bill for the correct amount – $15, instead, in October, I received a check for $35 with no explanation of how they determined they owed me this amount.

I am certain that I owed them $15 but now, at least I think this is true, I owe them nothing and they gave me $35 to boot. I can’t wait to see my next bill.