WilliamJE
Well-known member
Leonita and I will have been married 20 years this May 30th. In the early 1990's she was diagnosed with Hepatitis B antibodies in her system. Back in 2006 her liver enzymes were elevated and she had a bunch of tests done and was seen by a liver specialist. The results were- We'll keep checking.
Its three years later and our primary doctor is concerned again. Leonita is having more tests and bloodwork done before being seen by the liver specialist again. Please keep her in your prayers.
Now for the .62 cents part and my venting a little. Leonita went for a liver ultrasound today at Boynton Beach Open Imaging. We've both have had tests done here before. It's cheaper than going to the hospital, all we're supposed to pay is a $15 co-pay. If the test is done at the hosp, its the usual 80-20 and subject to deductibles.
Every time I go to this testing center, I expect problems. With good reason. Which I'll get into below
In 2002 my wife got pregnant. Dear wife was in the early weeks but her OB/GYN ordered a Ultrasound. An appointment was made with a diagnostic facility Concept Diagnostic in nearby Lake Worth.
At the that time and now we have an insurance where we pay a $15 co-pay on doctor's visits. Any time either DW or I have to see a new doctor, hospital or testing place we have to show the card.
When DW and I went to the appointment and after registering and waiting, we were taken to an office area. A woman for Concept told us that our share of the bill for the U/S was $110 plus change. This was the result of a phone call this diagnostic facility did with our insurance company or so they said and The $110 we were being asked to pay was amount the insurance company said we would owe. We hadn't come prepared to pay a bill, but the test was needed. I charged the amount on my VISA card.
Approximately a month later the insurance company sent us the explanation of benefits. There was the Amount charged, the amount allowed, Deductible, Co-Insurance and Payment amounts. At the very end was patient responsibility. The Patient responsibility was $15. What it says on our insurance cards.
I thought it could be a mixup, or not. At least I thought so then. The same day I got the explanation of benefits I called the Testing Facility. My purpose was to ask for a credit to my charge card and that I would be coming in.
The same person from a month earlier told me they don't do that, namely credit my credit card.. I'd have to wait so long etc. That's when I started fighting, this was wrong and I told them so. I can see a delay if it was a check but not a credit card. Also I wondered how did they get what we owed mixed up? We have Florida Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO for insurance. Surely my wife was not their first patient with this insurance. Now you're telling me you won't credit my card for a mistake.
The billing person didn't back off at first. Not till I told them what I'd do, dispute the whole credit charge, complain to the Better Business Bureau, make a consumer fraud complaint to the appropriate agency etc.. After hearing all this the billing person said my card would be credited the $95 overcharge. I had it done that very afternoon.
Then in August 2005, I had an MRI ordered.
By the way Boynton Beach Open Imaging LLC(aka Florida Open Imaging) is part of the same company as Concept the testing facility in Lake Worth that DW went to in 2002.
After registering that for my MRI and being told to take a seat I was called to the counter again. I was told by a person at the desk that my share of the bill was $169 plus dollars. That BB Open Imaging had called the insurance company and was told this was my share of the bill. All eerily similiar to my 2002 experience.
I firmly said I'd pay $15 and no more to the person who just told me I owed $169. Also I told them why and recounted what happened in 2002.
What happened? BB Open Imaging backed down immediately. I was told I'd get my explanation in the mail and then a bill. No $15 co-pay was even asked of me at the time. It was never asked of me in the past. I'd get a bill in the mail.
I was very irked by this experience. The 2002 experience I hadn't forgotten, and I have grown to distrust this firm tremendously. This was the firm used by my insurance, I have little choice in the matter. When I got home from the MRI I called my insurance company. I was thinking of blogging about my experience back then but deferred till I had more information. BCBS was helpful but vague as to what my payment would be for the MRI. It was explained to it would depend on how BB Open Imaging billed the test.
Yesterday I got my explanation of benefits online. No surprise to me, my amount owed for the MRI is $15.
Today is episode number three with these con artists. My wife gets called to the counter and told her bill is $15.62. 62 cents isn't a lot, but its wrong and I made a noisy stink. Telling them its $15 and not a penny more. The idiots backed off, one employee sarcastically saying she would pay the 62 cents. Neither employee got mad when I accused them of fraud, which if I was them and only making an honest mistake, would be my reaction.
This company is a con artist. How much do they deliberately overbill people day in and day out. How many people when they find out they been fleeced, write it off as not worth the aggravation. Maybe I should report this company to some consumer bureau.
Its three years later and our primary doctor is concerned again. Leonita is having more tests and bloodwork done before being seen by the liver specialist again. Please keep her in your prayers.
Now for the .62 cents part and my venting a little. Leonita went for a liver ultrasound today at Boynton Beach Open Imaging. We've both have had tests done here before. It's cheaper than going to the hospital, all we're supposed to pay is a $15 co-pay. If the test is done at the hosp, its the usual 80-20 and subject to deductibles.
Every time I go to this testing center, I expect problems. With good reason. Which I'll get into below
In 2002 my wife got pregnant. Dear wife was in the early weeks but her OB/GYN ordered a Ultrasound. An appointment was made with a diagnostic facility Concept Diagnostic in nearby Lake Worth.
At the that time and now we have an insurance where we pay a $15 co-pay on doctor's visits. Any time either DW or I have to see a new doctor, hospital or testing place we have to show the card.
When DW and I went to the appointment and after registering and waiting, we were taken to an office area. A woman for Concept told us that our share of the bill for the U/S was $110 plus change. This was the result of a phone call this diagnostic facility did with our insurance company or so they said and The $110 we were being asked to pay was amount the insurance company said we would owe. We hadn't come prepared to pay a bill, but the test was needed. I charged the amount on my VISA card.
Approximately a month later the insurance company sent us the explanation of benefits. There was the Amount charged, the amount allowed, Deductible, Co-Insurance and Payment amounts. At the very end was patient responsibility. The Patient responsibility was $15. What it says on our insurance cards.
I thought it could be a mixup, or not. At least I thought so then. The same day I got the explanation of benefits I called the Testing Facility. My purpose was to ask for a credit to my charge card and that I would be coming in.
The same person from a month earlier told me they don't do that, namely credit my credit card.. I'd have to wait so long etc. That's when I started fighting, this was wrong and I told them so. I can see a delay if it was a check but not a credit card. Also I wondered how did they get what we owed mixed up? We have Florida Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO for insurance. Surely my wife was not their first patient with this insurance. Now you're telling me you won't credit my card for a mistake.
The billing person didn't back off at first. Not till I told them what I'd do, dispute the whole credit charge, complain to the Better Business Bureau, make a consumer fraud complaint to the appropriate agency etc.. After hearing all this the billing person said my card would be credited the $95 overcharge. I had it done that very afternoon.
Then in August 2005, I had an MRI ordered.
By the way Boynton Beach Open Imaging LLC(aka Florida Open Imaging) is part of the same company as Concept the testing facility in Lake Worth that DW went to in 2002.
After registering that for my MRI and being told to take a seat I was called to the counter again. I was told by a person at the desk that my share of the bill was $169 plus dollars. That BB Open Imaging had called the insurance company and was told this was my share of the bill. All eerily similiar to my 2002 experience.
I firmly said I'd pay $15 and no more to the person who just told me I owed $169. Also I told them why and recounted what happened in 2002.
What happened? BB Open Imaging backed down immediately. I was told I'd get my explanation in the mail and then a bill. No $15 co-pay was even asked of me at the time. It was never asked of me in the past. I'd get a bill in the mail.
I was very irked by this experience. The 2002 experience I hadn't forgotten, and I have grown to distrust this firm tremendously. This was the firm used by my insurance, I have little choice in the matter. When I got home from the MRI I called my insurance company. I was thinking of blogging about my experience back then but deferred till I had more information. BCBS was helpful but vague as to what my payment would be for the MRI. It was explained to it would depend on how BB Open Imaging billed the test.
Yesterday I got my explanation of benefits online. No surprise to me, my amount owed for the MRI is $15.
Today is episode number three with these con artists. My wife gets called to the counter and told her bill is $15.62. 62 cents isn't a lot, but its wrong and I made a noisy stink. Telling them its $15 and not a penny more. The idiots backed off, one employee sarcastically saying she would pay the 62 cents. Neither employee got mad when I accused them of fraud, which if I was them and only making an honest mistake, would be my reaction.
This company is a con artist. How much do they deliberately overbill people day in and day out. How many people when they find out they been fleeced, write it off as not worth the aggravation. Maybe I should report this company to some consumer bureau.
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