Disputing Medical Bill

This is a sequel to my previous post, Diabetic Eye Exam.  In summary, I was billed for an eye test that was never done, under the disguise of a Refraction Test.  And now I’m trying to dispute said bill.

I heard tons of success stories on the net about disputing medical bills, however mine is not one of them.  It seems crystal clear that I was billed for a procedure never done, acuity test was done against my wishes and in violation of Informed Consent…  but that’s about it.  I’m stuck with paying the bill regardless.

I tried going the complaint route anyway and filed an Appeal with my insurance company.  Turned out this isn’t an appeal but a grievance, hence off it goes to the next department over.   Am still waiting to hear from  them

Next was an appeal with the doctor’s office within 30 days; am still waiting for the response which is pretty much to be expected.

State Medical Board was my next step, with the same net results so far.  I have neatly summarized everything into about 3/4 of a Word page and submitted by email.  Much to my surprise, my complaint was accepted.  What happens here, remains to be seen but likely not much.

I have ended up paying the bill as to avoid problems with the credit and to keep my 800 score.  It took the Billing full two weeks to deposit the check so I had to start an inquiry with the bank in the meantime.  All said and done, it goes without saying that I will not set my foot in this doctor’s office for the rest of my natural life.

All in all, I was given a test that I did not need nor want but was billed regardless while not a word about managing a current condition, a cataract that I was diagnosed with in this very office a year or two prior.  None, zero, zilch, nada.

I turned to the internet, and found out about three types of a cataract as well a plethora of information that the doctor didn’t utter a single word about.  Will cover this in the next post.

While I still have no clue about the extent of a damage, turned out that I can do a few ounces of prevention.  Found out I have to wear sunglasses in any weather, even when the skies are overcast.  And blue light blocking glasses when I am surfing the net.  This was the first time I ever heard about blue light blocking. Done, bought a pair on Amazon.  The lens have yellow tint to them so some colors are off but I can live with that.  These provide great protection being practically wraparound and the frame is flexible so I can wear them on top of the readers.  Will write more about blue light blocking later on.    Here they are, my Uvex Blue Light Blockers. Great price to boot, under $10.

 

This is a pair of sunreaders (a combination of sunglasses and readers) that I found on my last going to a local Dollar Tree.

 

Here’s to hoping that all this will buy me more than “a couple of years” quoted.  Isn’t that something that I had to find all this on the Internet, Facebook, Amazon as well as a few other sites, and of course, the Dollar Tree.  But not from my eye doctor!  The latter is apparently too much surgery oriented, because this brings in the $$.

It goes without saying that I won’t set my foot in this doctor’s office for the rest of my natural life.  Will see someone else next year, and this time I will know better what is covered and what is not, what to ask about and what to watch for.

P.S.  I am the last person on earth to have learned that Diabetic Eye Exam is covered in full.  The same thing took place a year or two prior when I just paid what I thought was a Specialist Copay. Now I know better.  You live and learn.

On the other hand, had I just paid the $$ and moved on without doing anything else, I would have never learned what I know now.  Will cover this later on.  Stay tuned.