How to tape phone conversations with insurance companies, etc.

[Jkgourmet]

You guys need to get off the phone. With rare exceptions, anything that involves Healthcare, legal matters, real estate and/or signicant amounts of money should be done in writing. By text, email, online chats, or snail mail.

If you find yourself unable to do stuff in writing, at the very least, send an email to the other party after the phone conversation. Put the details of the telephone conversation in the email including the name of who you spoke with, the date and time of the phone call. Send the email and ask for an email reply confirming the details. No reply? Keep sending the email, over and over. (Personally, I add to the subject line: second request, third request, etc.)

Remember that many (most?) Email systems will automatically delete emails in your trash after 30 days. Some systems auto delete other folders - like your sent folder.

[509]

Originally Posted by twinkletwinkle22

Yesterday my husband spent 2 hours on phone trying to get estimate for charges he'd pay for a colonoscopy, he's on Medicare with a supplement plan. I told him to request a written estimate because they won't stand by anything he "misunderstood" on a phone call. He's still trying to find out that $ amount.

My last colonoscopy had a $1k charge added from the anesthesiologist that I was given no heads up about when I asked about my share of cost well in advance of scheduling, pre-Medicare age. Should be illegal not to give everyone a full explanation of fees they will be charged based on their insurance.

Read this act. Last week when I was in the emergency room there was a wall posting giving the legal requirements for disclosure of bills under the NO SURPRISES ACT. It sounds like your medical provider is violating the law.

What are the new protections if I have health insurance?

If you get health coverage through your employer, a Health Insurance Marketplace®,[1] or an individual health insurance plan you purchase directly from an insurance company, these new rules will:

Ban surprise bills for most emergency services, even if you get them out-of-network and without approval beforehand (prior authorization).

Ban out-of-network cost-sharing (like out-of-network coinsurance or copayments) for most emergency and some non-emergency services. You can’t be charged more than in-network cost-sharing for these services.

Ban out-of-network charges and balance bills for certain additional services (like anesthesiology or radiology) furnished by out-of-network providers as part of a patient’s visit to an in-network facility.

Require that health care providers and facilities give you an easy-to-understand notice explaining the applicable billing protections, who to contact if you have concerns that a provider or facility has violated the protections, and that patient consent is required to waive billing protections (i.e., you must receive notice of and consent to being balance billed by an out-of-network provider).