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My husband sees a pain management doctor. This dr. Didn't bill us (due to his own negligence) for the first 13 months that he was a patient there. Suddenly, we receive a $250 bill (all past due) with demand for immediate payment. Bill only showed amt due. No itemization. When I requested itemization info I was provided was blatantly wrong, yet it was put on me to prove. When I would prove, would be given "New balance" showing no changes despite amts owned being removed. Now doctor is refusing service unless a specific amount is paid toward "Past due" at each visit!!! This is highway robbery!!! "Billing dept" is internal, and if you even start to loose patience with them, they claim "Abuse" and have you removed permanently from the dr.'s care!!!!! Wth???

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Under Medicare, the government pays 80% and you pay 20%. Any MD can refuse you if you do not pay your bill. Medicare also sends periodic statements to you of what they have covered. Find the statements and read them.
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Past due is only $250.00 for out of pocket fees for 13 months of medical services with Medicare Insurance as payee? Sounds like a bargain to me. Why did you not inguire earlier for any outstanding amount you may owe?
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Oh, and in answer to your question, can a doctor refuse further treatment to someone who isn't paying their bills, yes, a doctor may do that. I believe that an emergency room has to take everyone regardless of outstanding debts, but I don't think that is true of private clinics and individual doctors.
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Call Medicare and ask them.
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All the answers I see here, seem to be answering the question. Which ones are 'detractors with malice and snideness'?? Have some answers been redacted?...sounds like some problem in the billing department, I agree.
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crafteeladee82, I remember well trying to keep track of all my husband's many, many medical expenses while he had dementia. At first I tired to verify that what he was billed for matched what he actually received, but I soon gave that up as hopeless and too stressful. So I fully understand how you weren't looking for bills during a period the billing office was apparently screwed up!

I guess if I were you and I liked the pain management clinic (other than the billing department) I'd just pay the amount they claim is due (sounds small enough to be valid). Or I'd find a new clinic. Life as a caregiver is frustrating and stressful enough without expecting yourself to do perfect bookkeeping on medical bills. Take of this one way or another, and move on.
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It is not unusual for Medicare to take time from when they first received paperwork from your husband's doctor to the time that Medicare paid the doctor... then what Medicare doesn't pay, then the doctor's office tries the secondary insurance. It can take months if not over a year for all this to be done. Once the doctor receives the payments from Medicare and secondary, any balance then you will be billed.

Last month I received a bill from a hospital for my Mom, who had passed away 9 months ago, for the time she was in the hospital 10 month prior. Just par for the course.
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Craft, There will always be detractors. I am not one of them. I am in your corner. What I would do is drop the doctor and find another one who is more compassionate. Meanwhile the bill: I would ask Medicare what to do. Hope this helps. I know I had a similar case, I dropped the doctor. I felt he wasn't good for my health. Do you have a medicare representative in your town or are we not talking about a Medicare problem but a bad doctor billing problem. Anyway, Best Wishes.
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