Doctor's Office Still hasn't cashed my check

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
I had an appointment on December 18th and paid a co-pay with a check. That check still hasn't cleared the bank in over 3 weeks. I called the billing office and whoever it was said I'd have to talk to "the office". When I did, I was told I'd have to talk to billing. Again I called billing and they said their accountant has been on vacation. A situation of buck passing and butt covering excuses. Why would it take so long for them to cash my check?
 

debodun said:
I had an appointment on December 18th and paid a co-pay with a check. That check still hasn't cleared the bank in over 3 weeks. I called the billing office and whoever it was said I'd have to talk to "the office". When I did, I was told I'd have to talk to billing. Again I called billing and they said their accountant has been on vacation. A situation of buck passing and butt covering excuses. Why would it take so long for them to cash my check?
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their accountant has been on holiday for 3 weeks ?
 
I had similar experience when paying by cheque.
It took a month to clear.
That 'piece of paper' as specified to me on inquiry means the recipient has to go to bank to deposit and of course
that just doesn't happen any more with on line and credit card payments unless it is a large sum of money.
The way of the world now.....roll eyes 6.gif
 
There was a 'mom and pop' store here (now OOB). They closed down from Christmas week until President's Day week (mid February).

I just called again and actually talked to their accountant. She confirmed that she had been on vacation the last 3 weeks. Seems to me for a business that large, they should have a back-up accountant.
 
I'm trying to imagine a better way than check writing to pay bills. I wonder if there will ever be a way to have my bank send a payment? Wouldn't it be wonderful to have instant documentation that a bill was paid.
 
Knight said:
I'm trying to imagine a better way than check writing to pay bills. I wonder if there will ever be a way to have my bank send a payment? Wouldn't it be wonderful to have instant documentation that a bill was paid.
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we rarely ever use cheques here , not for years.. instead we use various ways..one is by Bank Transfer
 
I don't know how long it's been since I set up auto pay for utilities so that my wife will not have to deal with checks. All other bills are paid by credit card, then paid with bill pay online. Not once in all the years has there ever been a problem with auto pay, the credit card payment or the credit card.

If there would be there is a way to dispute whatever might have been wrong. But hey it's entertaining to read the "yes but" responses by the Op.
 
You can go into your bill pay and tell them who to send money to and for how much. You have total control and they can’t do anything else. I only write checks to the groomer and chiropractor because they want to be paid on the day of service and don’t take cards.
 
Sometimes medical bills can't be paid right away. The insurance companies have to slug it out, then I am sent a bill for whatever they don't cover. That can take weeks. If I am not scheduled for another office visit within 4 months, I will mail a check to the doctor if it's an office that's impractical to drive to, otherwise I drop it off in person within a few days of receipt. Less than 4 months, I bring a check to the office on the next appointment.
 
Slugging out a copay?

debodun
SF VIP
Locationway upstate in New York, USA

Nov 24, 2023
For an August office visit. I called the billing department and told them I was aware of the bill and there was no need to keep sending me repeat "reminders" and I would pay it on my next visit (Dec. 18). The agent said that they were sent automatically every month and nothing could stop them sending the bills until it was paid.

Well, I tried save them some postage.

Sounds like a follow up to not paying the copay last year when the copay was due. At least it sounds like Deb is trying. Who knows maybe in Deb's lifetime checks will no longer be used for payment & she will have to get & use a dreaded, unsafe, messy messy messy credit card.
 
I'm not sure I understand why "slugging it out" has anything to do with your co-pay.

A co-pay is preset by the insurance company. When you go to your PCP, you either have a co-pay or not. It depends on your coverage. If you have a co-pay for your primary doctor, that is paid at the time of your appointment.

If you go to a specialist (in network) then there is a different co-pay amount that is payable at the time of the appointment. IF you see a specialist that is not in network, then that's a different story. You will be billed for going out of network. If you have a procedure that needs to be authorized by your insurance company, you will owe a co-pay when the billing is done. If you are out of network and have a procedure, you will have a higher payment after the billing is done.

The problem with office and hospital billing in todays world is everything is contracted with an outside billing company. That's what I worked in for years.

When my husband died in October at the hospital, I'm yet to get the bill. I know how much it will be because I have kept track of what's been paid by my insurance (and everything has been) via the insurance's web site so I know I will owe the hospital XXX amount of dollars. I have not received a bill yet from the outsourced billing company.
 

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