Vet bill...WWYD?

Bertolie

Bertolie

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I had to have my vet out to my gelding in February. Vet came on the Saturday and Sunday and on the Monday poor horse needed specialist treatment which my vets weren't able to provide. Horse referred to a well known veterinary hospital local to me. Upon arrival they took all my details including insurance details and I signed claim forms there and then ready to be sent off, with insurance payment to be sent direct to vets. Unfortunately my horse had to be pts. My own vet submitted claim to insurance for their bit and referral vets to send a continuation claim for theirs. One month after horse was pts I received a phone call from insurance saying there was a hold up with claim as they hadn't received all information. Turns out referral vet hadn't sent their bit off as "the claims lady has gotten a bit behind with her paperwork"! Claim now paid with both vets being paid direct, I have to pay the excess to my own vet and pay the euthanasia cost to referral vet as not covered by insurance. I've had a statement of account from referral vets today with interest added (to the full amount of bill) as the bill is over a month outstanding!

The fact that they sat on the insurance claim for nearly a month doesn't come into it apparently! Just wondering if other people would just pay it or refuse?
 
As long as you paid for the euthanasia bit on time no chance of me paying it! Have you spoken to them?
 
So sorry that you lost your horse Bertolie.

I would telephone the vet and explain that you don't think that you should be paying the interest due to the hold up being on the part of the vet, and see what they say.
 
I wouldn't pay the interest as it has been caused by their error. I expect that they wouldn't expect you to either, but that bills generate automatically.
 
If the bill you received to day was the first you have had from them, I would query it. They should not have added interest to something you have never seen before.
 
Sorry, don't understand. You say 'claim now paid with BOTH vets being paid direct' but you've had a bill from the referral vets? Um, phone them IME they're usually pretty understanding with insurance issues, well, my vet is.
Oh, I see, you're being billed for the excess. Phone them, I'm sure they'll let you off as it's an insurance thing.
 
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I had this when my horse was receiving treatment via my insurance and there was a delay in paying! I rang the vets and they informed me the late payment charge was added on automatically and I was not liable for it.

My mare had treatment over the space of a year, late payment charges were added on each month, I never paid any of it.

Ring your vets, I am sure it will be the same.
 
Euthanasia bit hasn't been paid yet as vet said to wait and see what insurance would cover. I don't mind being charged interest on that bit but not the whole bill! Haven't spoken to them yet as only received their statement this evening, but had problems with same vet about 3 years ago when a horse of mine was involved in a RTA and was taken to this vets by a well meaning person even though they are not my own vets. Wouldn't give me a bill so that I could pay but then insisted on charging interest!!
 
Mahoganybay said:
I had this when my horse was receiving treatment via my insurance and there was a delay in paying! I rang the vets and they informed me the late payment charge was added on automatically and I was not liable for it.

My mare had treatment over the space of a year, late payment charges were added on each month, I never paid any of it.

Ring your vets, I am sure it will be the same.
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That. Most billing is automatic and they dont look at individual cases. Just give them a ring and I'm sure it will be fine :)
 
I think it is unfair to charge interest on the Euth too if it was suggested you wait for a decision from the insurance company but absolutely definitely not on the rest of the bill if it was their responsibility to send the claim off that is ridiculous and I would hope has only happened because it came out of an automated system!
 
My vet is b&w equine (only saying that in case it is yours too) they credit all late payment interest charges which have occurred due to late payment by insurance company, ring and have a chat hopefully they will just remove the charges.
 
My mate ended up being pts and late payment charge was added onto that too, Like yours, again didn't have to pay, they removed it with phone call.

Hope you get it sorted & big hugs!
 
As above a phone call should do the trick.

I once had the vets play a similar stunt we me. Horse had ulcers and had a significant amount of GG. Insurance were happy to pay, but vets hadnt sent off the paperwork in a timely manner, then started sending me bills in the post. (I was working away at the time and could only be contacted via the mail.) I just sent them a letter back saying the insurance was dealing with it. And let them get on with it.
 
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