My mom was a Kaiser member. Three days before she was admitted to Chase (the nursing facility), every single one of her prescriptions was refilled at Kaiser, because we didn’t know what exactly she had at home.
Now, Chase had me bring in her prescriptions because they didn’t have enough to give her until they got her pills from their own source (she couldn’t take her Kaiser prescriptions with her). The month after she died, I started getting forwarded mail from Chase. The billings for the meds she took while at Chase. They were from a company by the name of Modern Health Pharmacy. I paid the first one on March 15, for $124.54. Then there came another one. I can’t find a copy of it, but I believe it was $220.00, or thereabouts.
I didn’t want to pay it. So, I didn’t. Then we got another one. Now, keep in mind, these are all forwarded from Chase, none are coming directly to us.
So, I call Kaiser. They tell me to send them a copy of the bills along with mom’s Kaiser information and a message. I did so. I get a letter back from them, saying they need more information (in the letter I gave them the name of mom’s facility along with the name of her Kaiser physician while at Chase). Then I get another bill from Modern Health Pharmacy that has how much was billed to Kaiser and with a balance of twenty-nine dollars and change. I don’t pay it.
Well, last week I got another (forwarded, mind you) bill. With a dollar finance charge. I growl. I complained to Brian. He said “just pay it and be done with it”. But, but, but….it’s the principle of the matter! So, today I sit here paying bills and think “I’m going to call”. I’d already written out a check, but decided to call before they got a check with “blood suckers” written in the memo area (which I really did).
I had to leave a message and they called back. We discussed the bill. “Oh, it’s the co-pay amount that’s due”. Okay, then why does the statement dated 5-8, the one that shows what was billed to Kaiser, have the same items on it (albeit a different, lower amount due on them) listed, when those were paid for? “Let me talk to the billing department and call you back.” Okay.
She calls back. Tells me, again, it’s the co-pay. It still doesn’t make sense to me. I ask her exactly what did they bill Kaiser for? Remember, there was the first bill of $124.54, then $220.00. This statement says they billed Kaiser $268.99.
Something isn’t computing. I tell her to please fax me a copy of the February statement (dated March 8) and a copy of what they billed Kaiser. So I can compare the two. I hear the adding maching going in the background. She tells me again “let me talk to the billing department and call you back”. I said “you can just write this money off and we’ll call it square, I just want to be done with it”. Nope, she’s going to get it straightened out. I think she thought that I owed money and she wanted to be able to explain it to me. I’m thinking that there was a double billing for the first month. The amount I paid was billed to Kaiser, too, once Kaiser contacted them for information.
So, the phone rings. I’m getting a check for twenty-six dollars and change.
I win! Mom would be so proud.
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