<font color="blue"> ONCE AGAIN maintaining calm insistence has paid off for me...the story follows:

That was on the 23rd that I went and had xrays. It is now the 10th of March and what a week this has been regarding the "ER." The hospital had been calling almost daily since the visit. While I haven't spoken to them each time, the message was the same, "Pay the bill."

Tuesday evening I actually answered the phone, it was the hospital. In short, the man used my first name (which I don't give out to anyone, nor did I there) and said that the hospital wanted the money for services. I informed him that I hadn't received any bill, but that not only was I still sick, but in a pain flare and would call someone tomorrow and discuss it. He kept repeating "pat" answers meaning he wasn't taking No for an answer.

He didn't listen well. I told him again, and tried to say goodbye. He said I wasn't in the system and he needed my insurance information. After telling him I was in bed sick and didn't have it handy and would call the next day, he then said to write down the account number for when I called.

I told him I wasn't able to write anything down right then. So then he said, well write down the phone number so I would know where to call. I told him I would get that information off the caller ID, goodbye.

I called my MD Wednesday morning: they hadn't received the report YET. So I called the hospital, asked for a supervisor. She also used my first name, so I informed her that obviously I was in the system. She said no. I asked, how is it I was in the system at the other (same name, different branch) hospital two weeks ago and now I'm not. She kept saying the same lines that sounded like she was reading them, same "pat" answers, also.

So I told her that I didn't think I should have to pay, as the hospital hadn't sent my doctor a report. She glossed over that, saying that I owed for treatment at the ER. No, I told her, I only went with my MD's prescription for xrays, and left. She said I didn't have any script. Huh? Well, I had walked in, showed ID, and the script was stapled to the yellow sheet of my information. No, no prescription. I owed the hospital $319.00 she said. Why should I have to pay this, when the very reason I went didn't result in treatment, and I doubt that the xrays were even read. She said that there was only 1 xray.

I told her politely again, that I had just called my MDs office before calling her, and they had not yet received the report. I said that it was too late for her to use the xrays for treatment, as it's been a week now. She said she would make sure the report was sent to my Doctor. I told her that was fine, but it didn't do me any good. She insisted I still owed the $319.00 and she would have the report faxed immediately.

I said that was fine, but that to make sure and document that that amount is in "dispute." She said I would have to do that in writing. I said, well, then you need to bill me in writing. SHE SOUNDED SHOCKED, "You haven't received a bill yet?" No. So she promised she would send one out the next day.

Now I'm not absconding on a bill I owe. I discussed this with T and figured I would submit it to the disability ins first.. and that would delay their payment since I would have to submit it to my regular ins later.

I didn't realize (hey I WAS sick!!! lol) that I had things mixed up in my mind: it was 2 weeks after the actual xrays, 3 weeks after the first attempts. And I have the yellow sheet, not them, that's the copy. Little things like that, but I had remained calm. WHEW! What a triumph for someone with PTSD and authority issues.

Now the good part. I received a call/message from the supervisor yesterday after seeing T. She informed me that my account is cleared and I do not owe the hospital anything!

I suspect that the xrays were never read and there was no report to send to the MD etc etc. ?Part of the point is, she was saying they never had a script from my MD. Well, they didn't have one from their ER MD either, as no one saw me, so how would I have been so powerful to just waltz in and get one?? They really let me fall through the cracks. I wonder how many ppl end up the same way?

I see my MD Tuesday and I am eager to find out her office's side of the story. It's sad that I went through all that effort and stress and for ???? "nothing." But it's good I don't have to pay also!