Cornell Billing Problems

[Anonymous]

Hi,
I'm a patient at Cornell for the last few years and I find their billing department completely incompetent or criminal. I've dealt with incompetence out here, but this is much worse. In the beginning, I had insurance that covers IVF. Now, I have insurance that covers part of IVF. Since it doesn't fully cover IVF, I'm self pay and I submit to insurance later. I've done a few cycles over the years (some with coverage and some with partial coverage). Charges are appearing from years ago for the first time now. They were never submitted to insurance. No one is willing to explain why and where these charges are coming from. They don't refund money, even though their cornell connects shows that I am owed money. No one calls back or emails back. I can't get a statement of all charges, all I paid, and all my insurance paid for my time there. They only give statements with cherry picked charges. For some charges in the last cycle, they collected the prepayment for all charges, then claim they submitted some charges to insurance (even those I prepaid). My insurance has no record of them and they won't refund my prepayment or give me proof that they submitted those charges. They use my prepayment for storage fees which are paid by my insurance and then will not submit the charges to insurance or give me health insurance claim forms because the charges are paid for by me. Is there anyone who is competent there? I've spoken or emailed all of them at this point and they do not respond. Alternatively, is there anyone to report them to? Have you had similar problems?

[Anonymous]

Yikes! We worked with Cornell and our insurance covered everything after our first cycle there. We only ever had something come later after our insurance didn't pay for thawing of sperm (which is correct - they don't pay for that). Otherwise we haven't had issues. I worked with a woman named Alma, I think?

If you are still working with them, I would work it out in their office. Might be easier to get clear answers. Bring all necessary documentation from your insurance.

[Anonymous]

If you can't get anywhere, I would threaten to go to the press. Hospitals are getting a lot of bad news coverage on billing practices. You could potentially send an email and CC someone from the PR team at Cornell hospital (you could like get their contact info online).

[Anonymous]

Thanks. I'm thinking of doing that. I've tried meeting them in person during my last cycle but they refused. The person at the desk says she will get someone to call me back and they never do. I've tried to ask for supervisors but they won't transfer me. I don't want to make an enemy of them. I need them but it's getting ridiculous.