It never hurts to ask...and ask...and ask...

Especially when it made me $750 richer!
This post is dedicated to Kage who nudged me into "asking".

After DD2 was born I was shocked at the price for the healthy delivery. The cost without insurance was overwhelming, but even with our insurance we were in a bind. I figured it was just the price of delivering out East. I wrote it off to "living in NY." Then I mentioned it to Kage and she convinced me I'd better start poking around because that price was way too high.

First I called my insurance company...I got nowhere. No financial aid--only a way to pay monthly. So we began payments. Then I asked my doc's and the hospital's billing depts. and they could do nothing. Hmmmm.

When it was time for my anual exam, I explained the situation to my doctor in person. She was surprised when I told her that her practice charged me $7000 for a healthy, no complications delivery and was especially surprised that I was left with $900 of it to pay myself. She figured someone may have been taking advantage of the practice's agreement with the insurance company and charging extra. She said people that are much more difficult to care for still pay close to nothing! She told me she'd talk to the lady in billing and take care of it. Whatever that meant--but I was optimistic.

Well, I'd already made our first monthly payment of $150 and I'd just sent a check for the second month. I called the practice a couple days ago to check on the status. My balance had been $750. My doctor, who I LOVE, walked in the very day of my apointment and "adjusted off" the entire $750!!

But wait! There's more. So, they told me that the second check I'd just mailed in would be put toward my anual exam. I told the lady that didn't make much sense since insurance covers that exam and that I'd like a refund. She talked to her manager and called me back and told me they'd put the money toward that $750 payment. (Meaning I'd really only be getting $600 off.) I didn't know what to say, but was glad enough to have the bill eliminated. So, that was that.

Then that night I came to my senses!! Who are they to take that money from me!? My doctor had adjusted $750 off--not $600! That was a "gift" from her to me and they're swiping $150 of it.

So, I called back the next day and confronted the manager. All she had to do was have my doctor's permission to give me back the $150. She called her and it was done in less than 5 minutes!! Sheesh!! Couldn't they have told me that yesterday!? I was a little annoyed.

But most of all I was SO HAPPY because we really need that $150 each month. What a relief!!

Never hurts to ask! Now we're going to Burmuda! ....uh, I mean...Now we can pay car insurance! : )