Has anyone ever gotten a phone call from 1 800 425 0435? Claiming to be a medical claims company, trying to collect on a hospital bill? I recieved one today saying I owe $2900.00 for an accident in May. Yet, I never once was sent a bill. They seemed to have correct information, but I'm sure in this day and age everything is easy to find. Nothing on Snopes, though I did find a site that said it was a scam, and one that said it was legit....so I don't know what to believe They all seem to have come from a NC hospital, but I don't have anything that says I owe them 2900!, and nothing from Clayton Medical (which is weird cause I was taken by ambulance to the Johnston Medical Center by Amelia Church rd and 42!
I rarely answer the house phone and If I don't recognize the number on my crackberry I don't answer it after hours either. Sorta have to during business hours as the company provides the crackberry, but it is nice to let it roll to VM now and then.
As a side note wife's phone lets her have options on the front touch screen such as answer, ignore, ignore with text, etc.
Call them directly to ask them about it. My BF got an invoice from a company last week in regards to the trip he took from that ER to Johnston Memorial in August. In his case, it had already been taken care of by insurance.
just talked to hospital, I was told the bill was 2984.80 for my 5 hour stay in the ER, and 5.00 of that was 1, count em, 1 aspirin tablet. Most of that 5 hr stay was me waiting to be seen by anyone! I told them I never recieved the bill and don't intend to pay it. Had I known about it, it would have been turned over to the insurance companies and they could fight over it. But I did give them all that info when I was telephoned in May about this matter, and they never bothered me again until now. They have on file all the info that was needed to talk to the insurance agencies, and who to contact. But no one ever did their part. That's not my fault, they dropped the ball. I don't know how I stopped myself from reaching thru the phone (and it's a cell phone) and wringing her little neck, but I did. 5 bucks for an aspirin? what are they doing, lining them with Gold or Platinum? here's a pill for you JMS :chillpill:
That's cheap. After surgery my wife received a bill from Duke in Durham for $276.00. It was not paid by her insurance companies. After 3 calls I finally learned that it was for "self medicated medicine". They gave her 2 tylenols and a cup of water right before discharge and had her take them. Needless to say when I advised Duke we would not pay the bill and I was calling Monica, WRAL's 5 On Your Side, a Duke Hospital supervisor advised they would make an exception and write the charge off. Give me a break!
My ER visit in June ...4-5 hours ... was over $4,000. Add to that various dr. visits, tests, about 3 hour surgery, 3 day/2 night hospital stay ... over $20,000...for one medical event. Cost of medical care is astounding!!! What is sad is that people without insurance pay this but the amount the insurance companies actually pay is significantly discounted.
JMH must have just recently hired a new billing/collection agency. DD went to the ER last fall and we received a bill for her copay. I sent a partial payment and then never received another bill. I kept waiting and over time forgot all about it. Last week they suddenly called about it; it was an 800 number too. When I called back, they said they didn't even have our file and I would have to call the hospital...what the heck? So, when they decide to send me an updated statement I'll be happy to pay them. Sounds like they better get their act together soon.
Just read yesterday i the Clayton paper (I think Clayton - it was the one we get weekly on the ground at the end of our driveway for free) that Johnston (Smithfield and Clayton locations) want to run credit checks on ER patients. It said that treatment won't be refused but they want to see how credit worthy the patient will be for paying the balance of the bill. Give me a break!
I wonder how that will tie in with wait time? 750 and above, come right in. 749 and below, the doctor will see you sometime between now and your death.
What I find frustrating about the JMC in Clayton is that the hospital accepts Aetna bu the ER doctors at the hospital do not. I don't know why the hospital would contract with a group that does not take the insurance that the hospital accepts. Clearly if you are at the ER it is not the time to be asking insurance questions from every provider!!!
my husband had some tests done in florida before we moved here and a year later we get a bill from a collection agency. we called and told them we never got a bill. they said the doctors office doesnt bill anyone and just turn it over to collection agencys
