3-way medical bill tangle resolved

By NANCY PARADIS

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 27, 2000

On June 25, 1999, I went to LifeLink Transplant Institute in Tampa for pretransplant tests for my liver. A prior authorization was obtained from my insurance carrier, and bills that LifeLink submitted were paid without a problem.

However, I started to receive bills for pathology and laboratory medicine from the office of Drs. Ruffolo, Hooper and Associates. Each time I received a new bill, I called their billing department, and each time I was given a different excuse as to why it hadn't obtained payment from my health insurance company.

First I was told that it didn't have my health insurance information, even though the orders came from LifeLink, which did have it. Then I was told that my insurance company had been billed, and the claim had been denied because there was no authorization number. I was told I needed to get that number from either my insurance company or LifeLink, so I called my insurance carrier and was told that there was no record of a bill ever coming in from Ruffolo, Hooper and Associates.

I obtained the prior authorization number and gave it to Amy at Ruffolo, Hooper and Associates on Feb. 2. I received a statement indicating that the insurance carrier was billed that same day.

On March 25 I received another statement from this facility stating "not authorized." It has been almost one year since these tests were performed. I am a very sick person and tired of receiving these bills.

I requested that this office stop sending statements to me in the mail. I asked it to get the problem cleared up with my health insurance carrier or to write off the balance. I received another statement.

I have tried to get this matter cleared up, even doing the office's job of calling my insurance carrier to get the authorization number. If you could help, I would appreciate it. I am on Social Security disability and cannot afford to pay this bill. I don't want to see my credit ruined. Ralph Benedetto

Response: Kelly Cashman, assistant office manager of Ruffolo, Hooper and Associates, M.D., in Tampa, said she is rectifying an error involving your account, for which you have responsibility. If you need further assistance, she said you should call her immediately.

Duplicate billing

I ordered by telephone a round-trip ticket on British Airways from Tampa to Gatwick, London, on June 8, 1999. My Visa account was charged $632.10 on Feb. 22, 1999, and I was sent an e-ticket. The charge appeared on my March statement.

When I received my April statement, I saw that the charge was duplicated on March 16. I called British Airways reservations and told it of the second ticket issued -- same person, same flight, same day. I was assured it was an error that sometimes occurs with electronic ticketing and would be taken care of.

When I checked in at the British Airways counter in June, I handed in both e-tickets. The agent checked them and said I could dispose of the extra one and that the duplicate charge would be taken care of.

Upon returning on June 23, I called again and was told that it takes time. My year-end statement from Visa still showed the second billing.

Many calls followed, and I was transferred around -- "voice mail," "no answer at this number," "mailbox filled, call this number . . .," etc.

Finally, I was given an address in Jackson Heights, N.Y. I mailed a certified letter on April 9 and have heard nothing. I would appreciate your help. Marion Hubert

Response: Thanks for letting us know that this has been resolved. Alerting your credit card company of the duplicate charge could have solved the matter earlier in addition to reducing the amount of finance charges you were assessed on the balance you were carrying.

You have 60 days from the date of the statement on which a charge appears to dispute it. In this case, your credit card company could have charged back the duplicate billing, and the problem would have been solved.

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