ON CONSUMERISM
by Arthur Vidro
In August 2014, a member of the household had a medical procedure that generated some tissue that had to be examined by a pathologist. All was benign. Well and good.
Then came a bill for $63 from a place called Mid-Vermont Pathology, which despite its name listed its address as Lombard, Illinois.
Not a huge amount, but we had never received anything from the health insurance company on the pathologist’s fee, and we desire hearing from the insurer how much we owe before making payment.
Eventually I realized this bill had never gone through our health insurer.
I did my best to explain this to Mid-Vermont Pathology, but there was never a person to explain to. Telephoning them led to an answering machine (sometimes too full to leave a message), nothing else. I would leave a message when I could, but the call would never be returned.
When the statement arrived each month, saying the bill was overdue, I would write back. I once wrote:
“Dear Mid-Vermont Pathology,
“For the fifth time we respond to your statement demanding $63, by enclosing a photocopy of both sides of the patient’s health-insurance card.
“We do not pay doctor or labs until after we hear back from Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, and we have not yet heard back from them, either to say yes they will pay, or no they won’t pay. Frankly, I don’t think we WILL hear back from them unless and until you submit (or re-submit) the matter to them.
“Since you don’t have human beings answering your telephones, it is pointless for us to phone you anymore.”
I ended the letter with the following, in all capital letters:
“ALSO, PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR PLAN IS A NEW HAMPSHIRE PLAN, NOT A NEW JERSEY PLAN.”
For I had figured out, by reading every line on the statement, that this was why we had received nothing from the insurer. It was being charged to a plan we didn’t subscribe to.
Somebody somewhere submitted the bill to Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield New Jersey. Such a mistake would not happen in the pre-computer days.
But now, the submission is done via computer and the plan is selected not by typing it in but by clicking from an alphabetically arranged drop-down box of plans. Which means the New Hampshire plan we belonged to was one line above the clicked-on New Jersey plan.
In February 2015, Mid-Vermont Pathology, still without phoning or writing to us except to send additional past-due statements generated by a mindless computer, sent the matter to a collection agency, which sent us a threatening letter.
The agency, name of CBCS (of Columbus, Ohio), proved very approachable. When I phoned them up, they (unlike Mid-Vermont Pathology) actually answered the telephone. Katlyn was polite, efficient and patient. We worked out a deal, and we both kept our sides of the bargain.
CBCS would return the disputed charge back to Mid-Vermont, I would pay Mid-Vermont and send CBCS the paperwork showing I had paid the debt, and CBCS would expunge the disputed debt from all official records.
I am happy that CBCS, despite being a collection agency, behaved honorably and professionally. If I could shake their hand, I would.
Mid-Vermont received our check and an accompanying letter (both dated Feb. 12, 2015) that explained we were paying under protest, solely to safeguard our credit rating. And that none of my prior letters or phone calls had even been acknowledged.
“You did not,” I wrote, “properly submit this bill to the insurance company. You submitted it to Anthem (Blue Cross/Blue Shield) New Jersey, but that was wrong. Our account has been with Anthem (Blue Cross/Blue Shield) New Hampshire. So, here’s your money.”
The check was deposited, so I know Mid-Vermont Pathology received it. Otherwise, they again chose not to respond.
Perhaps they just didn’t care.
Which is why sometimes a consumer is totally in the right but still loses.
