I received a small bill from Wheaton Franciscan. I didn't understand it. My secondary insurer should have covered it. I ended up talking to Wheaton Franciscan's billing department four times this morning. All four times I was told that my secondary insurer had refused payment and it was my responsibility. I called my insurer. They had no idea of what I was talking about. They had never talked to WF about anything.
I set up my digital voice recorder and called back WF billing. Again I was told that my secondary insurer had refused to pay my bill. When I told them that I was recording the call and that I had just spoken to my secondary insurer, they admitted the truth: they didn't even know who my secondary insurer was. What the hell? I provided that information when I registered with them. Previous bills have gone straight to the secondary insurance with no problem. This is the billing department of our only hospital? They just lie and lie until they are caught? When I asked for the name of the representative I was speaking with, she would only give me her first name.This is how WF does billing? They hire anonymous people to dun patients with made up information?.
I am just flabbergasted. FOUR fucking times they lied to me, until I forced them to speak truthfully. This took four hours out of my day. For a crap $22 bill. Think of the millions they have screwed insurers out of.
Party on, lying John, with all those campaign contributions from WF CEO Ken Busar to keep this a one hospital town!
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I am paying off 7K In bills to our Hospital here. I have always had Insurance, and they NEVER can explain things to me. It drives me nuts. I get robo calls, and they tell me they are IN Mauston, when actually they are In Illinois. It took a whole day to find that one out. I have been threatening to call the State, but I'm too lazy. I don't even bother going to the doctor anymore. I'm figure I'll just drop dead In my recliner one of these day's.
I was very apprehensive about hooking up with a WF shrink because of all of the horror stories I've heard about their billing. My sister had to hire a lawyer to extricate herself from their bullshit. They were going to destroy her credit rating over bills that were already been paid.
Again, I'm just floored. I mean, I'm always the one screaming about lies, so I shouldn't be surprised, but they just made up lies to try to get me to pay for a bill that is already covered. And they did not stop lying until I went out of my way to prove that they were lying. And not even an apology. no sorry sir for the inconvenience. She just sighed after I caught her in the lie and asked for the secondary insurer information. I told her to bark at the moon and hung up. Fuck these lying predators and leeches in suits destroying our city.
My assumption from now on will be that all of their bills are lies. I already assume that about their doctors. My poor mother - thank God she is out of that place.
It never ceases to amaze me, Orbs. From now on it should be known as W(t)F Healthcare.
Are you guys sure about this? After all we have the greatest health care in the world and certainly don't need any kind of reform whatsoever. I thought everyone was very satisfied with their coverage.
The best trick they play is the "adjusted" bill. They send you something and they say they paid more on a later bill or they added to the bill. Then, your insurance makes adjustments. By the time they are through, you have no idea what portion was paid and what are new charges. You get so fed up, you pay the damn thing before it goes to collection. Quite the racket.
A very smart, non-sick person can't figure it all out. They are billing regular, old, and often very sick people, many who have medicare as their primary... another billing disaster.
When my mom was involved with Milwaukee and Kenosha hospitals, and I would mention some of the antics of Racine, they would shake their heads. All the nurses and doctors know of the poor health care here.
At one point, Aurora was looking at building a hospital in Racine, but found out how tough our city fought against it. Of course Aurora was smarter. They wanted to build west of the city and off the bus routes to avoid the Racine ghetto crowd, the expensive gun victims and the non-insured.
Just like politics, it is ALL about money. To hell with the people, the children, the poor, the wretched. Let them eat cake.
Enough of a rant for you today?
Orbs I believe it the same thing happened with my Grandma up in Shawano. That is all the hospitals want is more money from us so they can be the ones that get rich. They really don't care about us anymore. I don't remember them being like this when I was pregnant with my son. This is really sounding sad for our country.
There are times when I am really sick I don't even want to go to the doctor. I will go and get over the counter medicine before I even go to the doctors anymore. At prop care it takes two hours just to see the damn doctor. I swear you can be sitting there dieing and you will still have to wait two or three hours.
Orb's, CREDIT RATING? That's why I don't worry about identity theft. They will be mighty surprised If they steal mine.
I agree with KK on this on. KK we need to talk with our accounting daughters, because it always seems the medical bill is due, before the insurance kicks in,and if you don't pay, your credit goes bad, then you are stuck trying to get the money back from insurance, good luck. I've been lucky no problems like this so far in my life, but stay tuned.
Okay, now I'll play good/bad cop.
Much of what we pay for in exorbitant fees are due to those who use the services and don't have the means to pay. (uninsured) Our emergency rooms are misused due to lack of insurance and under insurance.
The reason you pay $15.00 for one aspirin and $8.50 for a band-aid is because grandma had an MRI and medicare paid only 10% of the cost.
Doctors aren't the ones getting excessively rich (but most are doing quite fine and shouldn't complain)... most are being dictated to on patient count, allowable procedures, required procedure, forms and more forms, etc. They are constantly fighting insurance companies for what they feel would be correct treatment of their patients. The entire system, nationwide, is so screwed up.
Hospitals are a business and they need to see a profit, we get that. Unfortunately, those who work hard, buy insurance, have a home or property and a credit rating they care about are the ones who wind up paying an unfair proportion.
All Saint's needs to get their act together. The things that go on there are criminal. Errors in billing is only one small aspect.
I have never been disappointed with my universal health care in Sweden.. it's just really easy. no worry about insurance.. the girls get sick I call and get an appointment (I have always gotten in the same day) go to the doctor check in and get to see the doctor.. If I get sick I call up and get an appointment pay my 30 dollars upfront cost and get to see the doctor.. I get nervous when hearing of these things.. it all sounds so complicated. I get worried about leaving things as they are simple and get good care..
These are the same yahoos who robocall me with an appointment reminder that tells me to arrive 15 minutes early for my appointment. Then why didn't they just make the appointment for 15 minutes earlier, instead of springing it on me a day before I'm scheduled to arrive?
So I arrive 15 minutes early and guess what? The receptionist has no idea why I was told that. She said, "We hear this stuff from you guys. I don't know why they told you that."
No one accepts responsibility for anything. No one.
KK, I hate to say this, but Doctor's make HUGE sums of money. Particularly the ones that are part of a privately owned clinic, which MOST are. In this case I am not talking about an MD, I am talking about a DO. Just imagine the difference. POOR doctors. LOL.
The entire health system is in chaos. I spent almost all day yesterday on the phone dealing with health issues for me and mom. No one talks to anyone else. It is all upon the patient to coordinate everything. If you are really sick and can't do it, you're screwed. I just got off the phone with my main doctor's nurse. It's going to be another day of telephoning and emails and letters. Utter chaos! No one knows what anyone else is doing. They all have their little turfs and they fight over them, using patients as weapons. Disgusting. Utter, utter chaos...
I just got another call. I have been trying to get the results of a test that was performed on me three weeks ago. THREE FUCKOING WEEKS AGO AND I STILL KNOW NOTHING!
A doctor's office called me to ask more questions, then they will talk with the doctor, THEN they will give me the test results, maybe. I asked WHEN? She said today. Today WHEN? She didn't know. I had to make three phone calls and SCREAM in order to start the ball rolling on test results performed three weeks ago!!!!!!! I am going to blow a fucking gasket!!!!!
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