California Pacific Pathology Medical Group Phony bills, no way to resolve Fresno California

This started with a procedure at Sutter Pacific in Santa Rosa; I don't know how it got into the hands of a company in Fresno.

After a routine exam in February, which was covered by MediCare, I received separate bills from the doctor and the clinic for the 10% co-pay required by my insurance. No problem--that was only about $80 total.

Then I got an unexpected bill for $977 for a laboratory procedure I had never heard of. I tried to reply by referring the biller to my Medicare account, thinking that they would either (1) find that they had already been paid, (or denied) or (2) reduce the bill to the amount allowed by Medicare (certainly less than $50, for any lab test I've ever heard of).

Instead, a month later, I got another bill for the same $977. This, however, had no itemization, no web address to check back on, only a phone # which was unstaffed during business hours. Only a threat to damage my credit if I didn't pay.

This is not a method for honest dealing with patients. This is how you deal with people if you think you can scare them into paying you money that you are not entitled to.