Provider Billing Won’t Bill Insurance

Here are the details:

I was seen in December 2023 at an ER. Around March (maybe Feb) 2024 I get a bill for the doctors (not the hospital). They bill me the whole amount and didn’t bill my insurance.

There’s no number to call on my bill so I take to Google. I email them through what looks like their Contact Us page. Then I call the number on that website. The lady asks me how I got this number and I say Google. She says I called the wrong number and transfers me to the “right” person. They take my insurance info and say they’ll bill it again and disregard the bill for a few (idr the number) weeks.

After that time period, I’m still getting the bill 100% charged to me and doesn’t show in my insurance claims. It’s like April-May at this point. I’d called multiple times (a different number). Eventually I get a hold of someone who says they are the right person to talk to (she left me a voice mail). When I call her 2 weeks ago, she picked up and said she was busy and would call me back in 30 min. 2 weeks later no call back.

Today I get my “final” bill. I’ll be sent to collections July 7. I called the lady again and left her a VM. I also called insurance who said the company had my demographic details wrong and they would have to submit again. (My last name is different cuz they wouldn’t change it when I was at the hospital. Also said my DOB might be wrong). I left another message for the lady letting her know about my last name.

Questions: – What happens if they don’t re bill my insurance before the collections date?

This company has really bad reviews for not billing insurance and then sending people to collections (even if they paid). Am I better off (credit wise) just paying?

Any advice for how to handle this and NOT be sent to collections.

submitted by /u/pennel11
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