Dr. Ben Thomas, Primary Care Physician Center never submitted office visits to insurance and now over a year later sent me a bill for almost $500 refuses to give dates and breakdown of services Atlanta (or Sandy Springs) Georgia

In the summer of 2002 I had recently moved to Georgia and needed to go to a doctor. I went to Ben Thomas because he works mainly as a walk-in clinc and he accepted my insurance. My responsibility was a $10 copay. About a month later I went back, paid my second copay.

The next month or so I found out that I was pregnant my morning sickness was severe. I went to Ben Thomas a few more times. I paid my copays. He never remembered who I was. He would always say I was dehydrated or almost dehydrated and to go to the ER. In May of 2003 I went to his office for a severe cold/flu. He gave me a breathing treatment but never bothered to tell me that insurance would not cover it. I received this bill in September.
That was ALL I OWED. I payed the bill at the beginning ov November it took them a month to actually cash the check. When I called at the beginning of November I suddenly owed $655 for past appointments. Some of the appointments were supposed to have been over a year before. I had insurance I paid my copays. They had a new billing manager who said he guessed that they didn't submit the bills to insurance. I called the insurance company about the 1 date I could get out of him. They had never heard anything of it it had never been submitted.

If the doctor's office doesn't submit the bills to insurance in a timely fashion it is supposed to be their own fault and their write-off. Of course NOT THE CASE WITH BEN THOMAS!!! They are holding ME responsible for their mistake. The billing person was rude. He said that if insurance won't pay them, it's my responsibility they want their money and they'll get it. He was supposed to send me a breakdown it contains no dates of cervice, nothing about what services were except for the final May appointment.

Some of the past appointments must have been recently submitted to insurance and were paid but I still owe almost $500 for the others. I have no idea when the appointments were or what they were for. I can't check to see if they were ever filed with insurance without dates and descriptions. Thomas' office won't tell me.

They say I have to pay them. ALL WAS COVERED BY INSURANCE. It is now 7 months since the last time I was at that office this is my only bill. I have no idea how they came up with this amount. What do I do? I should NOT be obligated to pay this bill. I DO NOT have the money to pay this bill. I SHOULD NOT be billed in November/December of 2003 for Sometime in 2002. Can you help me?

Not Going to be Ripped-Off
Alpharetta, Georgia
U.S.A.