Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  08/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I received a routine blood test on 10/6/22. My physician's office did not forward my new insurance card to the LABTECH, and I started receiving bill notifications for $538.42. I sent copies of my insurance card (front and back) at least three times, though the only date I recorded was 2/24/23. I kept receiving the bill months after 2/24/23. Per customer service representative, when I send the copy of my insurance card, the people who receive the mail is supposed to forward the information. They would contact the mail office and find the copy of insurance I sent. When they find it, the fee of $538.42 will be forgiven because there was no fault of mine. I received a mail dated 7/5/23 from the credit collection service for $373.42 for the service I received from LABTECH on 10/06/22. I contacted LABTECH to discuss what I previously discussed with a representative. This time, the customer service representative told me that the bill is my responsibility and there is nothing they could do. The reason was follows: The customer is supposed to send only payments to PO Box ******, Cincinnati address. It says "Mail payment Only to Labtech Diagnostics PO Box ******, Cincinnati OH 45263-1602" According to the representative, I was supposed to send the copy to their office, not the billing department. On the bill, In the middle of the page states to provide active insurance to them. Also, there is no mailing address rather than PO Box ******, Cincinnati anywhere on the bill. How should I have known that the copy needed to go elsewhere?. Now they are saying that I should have known not to send the copy of insurance to the one address listed on the bill, therefore, it is my fault that the bill went to the collection agency. I find the practice fraudulent and deceptive to the customers. Thank you for your consideration. I also filed a claim at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

  Business response

  08/28/2023

  The patient was sent numerous invoices for his lab work that was performed by his physician. he responded in February, by sending a copy of the insurance card to the MAIL ONLY payments, which is the bank. if anything is sent to the bank typically, they will forward to us, regardless of that we have 6 months from the date of service (05/10/2022) to file insurance. at the time she sent her info it was past the filing time limit. had the patient responded when she was 1st sent invoices then we could have addressed this accordingly and filed within time. the patient didn't do that therefore receiving the insurance information in February was too late and the patient was sent to collections in May.

  Customer response

  08/29/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. 
  

  To respond the business, I have sent copies of my insurance card total of 3 time with last one sent in February 2023. Despite the company's claim of my negligence not to send the copy of my insurance to the "right place", there is no direction on the bill where I can send the copy. From the information I gathered from the bill, the only address I can send document was the address listed on the bill. (The copy of the bill has been previously submitted and attach to this email. As it is stated in the business response, the copy of my insurance was forwarded to the company as it was "typically" done, one of my three attempts should have been enough. 

  My complaint is for the negligence of the company not clearly stating the direction to share my insurance information. On the bill, it is clearly stated to provide the copy of the insurance card yet the information where I am supposed to send is completely lacking. It is natural to assume that only address listed on the bill is the address to send the information. This is a negligence of the company. 

  I appreciate LABTECH's response and thank you Better Business Bureau for mediating this matter. 
  Regards,
  
  ***** ******

   

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