Does this make sense to anyone else? (billing rant

[rubytue]

I've had 2 CTs, 2 MRIs, and something else I can't recall. All from the same radiology place. 4 of these 5 things were within about 36 hours.

So far, I've gotten 3 bills (the 4th was more recent and hasn't been billed yet). I got the first bill, but I knew there were more coming so I was waiting until I had one total.

They sent 3 bills with 3 different account numbers. And they aren't totaled. I called to see WTF happened, and she explained to me that it is easier for the patient to see one account number for each day of service. So each date has a different account number, not each patient.

I have never seen this before, and its really pissing me off. Mostly b/c I can't use online bill pay. Well, I could, but it would take me an hour to enter everything in 3 different times and send it off. And then I don't just have the information ready when bill #4 comes in.

Nope, instead I had to dig out the checkbook, write a check, find an stamp and an envelope (b/c I threw out the ones they sent b/c I never mail bills), total the bills, enclose all the stubs, and find a mailbox.

Blech!

[Deleted]

I worked in hospital AR, and that system is exactly how patients were billed. Accounts were based on date of service, and then if there were physician charges versus lab charges (e.g. bloodwork), there were separate account numbers even for the same visit. It is a confusing system for the patient, but I believe it's designed this way to make it easier for insurance billing. When I know I'm having a lot of different work done (e.g. pregnancy, surgery), I create an excel sheet with date of service, and if there's likely going to be a physician and a lab charge, so I can keep track of the explanation of benefits (EOBs) along with the dr bills and make sure everything matches up.

[Deleted]

This is pretty standard. I did billing for the Hospital Corporation of America and several other national hospital chains....they all billed this way. Sorry.

[rubytue]

Seriously?! Have I just been lucky before that my other doctors maintain the same account number? I've never had this issue before, when I know there are bills coming, I just wait about 3-4 weeks until I get the final total (after insurance and the other charges show up).

I still think its stupid.

[Norticprincess]

All of my hospital stuff is different account numbers on the bill, but links to my paitent number when I log into the bill pay website. So I see all of the bills at once. I can pay them online all at once.

[audry80]

My lab tests are billed the same way and I go every two weeks. I call and give them my debit card number and they apply the fund to each bill. Makes it easier!

[rubytue]

Oct 16, 2012 11:32:25 GMT -5 Norticprincess said:

All of my hospital stuff is different account numbers on the bill, but links to my paitent number when I log into the bill pay website. So I see all of the bills at once. I can pay them online all at once.

That would be a good option. The lady I spoke with couldn't offer me that or even give me a total. So I know there is another bill coming, I know how much it is, but I can't even pay it yet.