A couple of months ago, I wrote about a problem with a company called “Messed Diagnostics.” I didn’t use the firm’s actual name because I didn’t feel like getting sued for bad-mouthing the company in public. But on the other hand, it’s not libel if you’re telling the truth, and the truth is, this particular lab testing outfit sent me an invoice for services my insurance company already paid in full almost a year earlier. In my column, I wondered whether this huge corporation sends out duplicate invoices every month.
After that column appeared in the newspaper, I was surprised to discover I had really struck a nerve. Dozens of readers sent me angry emails — and for once they were not angry at me! The readers let off so much steam about their experiences with billing nightmares, my computer was able to heat my whole house for three days. (No, I’m kidding. When people blow off steam via email, it doesn’t actually turn my computer into a radiator. That was, um, kind of a joke.)
The emails I received fell into one of three categories. The first group were those folks who had problems with the same lab testing outfit. Just like me, they had to embark on a grueling “quest” to resolve billing errors. I guess that big green letter in the company’s logo could stand for queasy, quirky, quixotic, quagmire, querulous, or what people wanted to do after being put on hold for the eleventh time: quit.
One reader said my column triggered PTSD, as it brought back painful memories of her ordeal trying to resolve an $896 erroneous invoice. Another reader noted the pain “Messed” inflicts on you while drawing blood is nothing compared to the pain of dealing with their billing department.
The second category of emailers complained about other aspects of the healthcare industry’s billing and payment system. Hmm, I suppose the previous sentence is incorrect, since using the word “system” implies there is an actual plan involved. If you’ve ever tried to figure out the healthcare billing and payment process, you no doubt discovered that it makes about as much sense as Kanye West giving a lecture on World History.
One reader said my column triggered PTSD, as it brought back painful memories of her ordeal trying to resolve an $896 erroneous invoice. Another reader noted the pain “Messed” inflicts on you while drawing blood is nothing compared to the pain of dealing with their billing department.
The second category of emailers complained about other aspects of the healthcare industry’s billing and payment system. Hmm, I suppose the previous sentence is incorrect, since using the word “system” implies there is an actual plan involved. If you’ve ever tried to figure out the healthcare billing and payment process, you no doubt discovered that it makes about as much sense as Kanye West giving a lecture on World History.
Another emailer explained that he received a bill for $2,200, many years after his daughter went through physical therapy for a knee injury. The insurance company and the healthcare provider wrangled over certain excessive fees, so the provider finally decided just to send a huge bill and a threatening “past due” letter to the patient’s father. Luckily, he told them to go pound sand, with the help of the State Attorney General’s office.
The third group of people who wrote to me were peeved about the customer service shortcomings of other industries, primarily cell phone and cable TV companies. From what I can gather, most people would rather get a root canal with a rusty drill than to hear this recorded message for the 74th time: “Your call is important to us. Please stay on the line for the next available customer service representative.”
One reader said, “Sometimes I think it would be better to go through life without a phone or TV, if it meant I’d never have to wait on hold for two hours again.”
The third group of people who wrote to me were peeved about the customer service shortcomings of other industries, primarily cell phone and cable TV companies. From what I can gather, most people would rather get a root canal with a rusty drill than to hear this recorded message for the 74th time: “Your call is important to us. Please stay on the line for the next available customer service representative.”
One reader said, “Sometimes I think it would be better to go through life without a phone or TV, if it meant I’d never have to wait on hold for two hours again.”
Unfortunately, nowadays in this era of computerized billing systems and over-worked customer service operators, step 1 of the grueling, 100-step, year-long “quest” to resolve a problem is waiting on hold for two hours. Step 2, of course, is finally hearing a real person’s voice on the line, and then having the call get disconnected.
Hmm, going through life without a phone or TV or any healthcare services is starting to sound more and more attractive.
Hmm, going through life without a phone or TV or any healthcare services is starting to sound more and more attractive.
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