I have a “Who’s the A’hole Here” question.

[Spiky Bugger]

•Mr Sue has a work-related hearing loss, no debate over if it’s a legit claim, it is
•He’s been receiving audiology service/hearing aids since 2004
•When we returned to CA, in 2015, he went to a new audiologist
•He went to his scheduled annual appointment in May 2022 and was refused service
•They said they hadn’t been paid for his previous visit
•BUT they hadn’t contacted Work Comp to discuss the issue
•My friend’s husband pulled rank (it’s a self-funded program, so local big shots make a difference) and we discovered the problem
•The audiology office billed two procedures w/the same code, so it looked like double billing & Work Comp declined pymt
•Work Comp said, “Submit corrected claim and we will pay.”
•Provider resubmitted the claim and is awaiting payment
•Meanwhile, MrSue’s (overdue) appointment has been submitted and pre-authorized
•BUT…the audiology office will not schedule him for his (now LONG) overdue, pre-authorized exam because they have not yet received the payment for the partial part of the last visit that looked like double billing.

So, who’s the asshole?

-MiniSue says that I’m the asshole for expecting them to see him before they get paid for the last visit.
-I say that THEY are the asshole because THEY made the error, they never researched WHY they weren’t paid, they have a pre-auth for the overdue appointment, AND MrSue could simply ask Work Comp to pre-auth his visit at a different provider…and since he’ll probably qualify for new hearing aids, which cost around $2500-4000, PER EAR, guess who loses a sale!
-I will now ask HIM who the asshole is. He says, “Them…the audiologist.”

MiniSue MAY have a point, but what do y’all think?



And, between this and his pending cataract surgery, I’m still living with Helen Keller.

 

[southernlady]

The billing dept is the asshole. I hate billing departments.

 

[Georgepds]

Just an FYI

you can get an audiology exam at Costco gratis... two BTE rechargeable hearing aids go for ~$1800... that's total, one will cost you ~$900... often you can get by with just one, especially if one ear is much worse than the other

I've compared Costco audiology results to those of the local ENT, the results are similar... ie.. identical for all practical purposes

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Just an FYI

you can get an audiology exam at Costco gratis... two BTE rechargeable hearing aids go for ~$1800... that's total, one will cost you ~$900... often you can get by with just one, especially if one ear is much worse than the other

I've compared Costco audiology results to those of the local ENT, the results are similar... ie.. identical for all practical purposes

He is provided FREE hearing aids from two sources, so we try to alternate the years.

Army discharge physical, medic said, “Oh, shit! Keep a copy of this test. You used to be able to hear.” So one set comes from the VA, although he waited until AFTER the work thing, a couple of decades after discharge.

Then at his annual work physical for his commercial drivers license, he was reminded that HEARING is a skill needed in driving, and that they owed him hearing aids that he would have to wear them if he wanted to retain his employment. He reminded them that his hearing loss was pre-existing and their response was, “Yeah, but we made it worse.” Although I think hearing loss gets worse all by itself!

BUT, we used Costco audiology for my mom and were very satisfied!

 

[JackieOnLine]

minisue is wrong, you are never the asshole. I'm with Liz.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

minisue is wrong, you are never the asshole. I'm with Liz.

This might be why you are one of my favorite people on the planet!

 

[hilary1617]

What?!

 

[MsVee]

Spiky, you are not the A-hole but you have an uncanny ability to find them lol.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

What?!

In my defense, I DID say “one of.”

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Spiky, you are not the A-hole but you have an uncanny ability to find them lol.

In a ”Memory Lane” phone call w/my sister, when speaking about how our father behaved during a meltdown, I blurted out “He made me grow up too fast! SOMEBODY had to be the grown up!” My sister and MrSue agreed. So living with him in my early years was a good foundation for finding them.

And then my mom’s brother, who brought groceries to his ex instead of paying child support, because he said she wasn’t ”responsible enough to go grocery shopping,” was another one. Of course, I somehow have all the “bounced check” notices from HIS bank, plus the LAPD letter telling him that, no, he could not be considered a candidate for police officer. (Likely because of his military court martial events.)

Maybe that’s why I don’t want to make America great again. Upon close inspection, it wasn’t all that great in my experience. And I often know how to spot the folks who enjoyed making it that way.