Earlier this year, the medical system our doctors belong to was purchased by someone else, and they took over just as the former owner (Ascension) was the target of a ransomware attack. Apparently, an employee clicked on a malicious link. The result was, to put it mildly, a mess.
I won't bore you with the details from the patients' standpoint. But it was a while before we were even told it was a ransomware attack. We had to depend on rumors, which turned out to be true.
The recovery has come a long way and, as patients, my spouse and I had to set up accounts in the new owner's patient portals. We just received our first bill.
Electronically.
Because we had automatically been opted into electronic billing and didn't know it.
We were given 10 days (!) to pay the bill.
We didn't realize we weren't getting a paper bill (something the old owner always sent) until today, day nine, when I was checking the portal for some lab results and found the bill. Turns out our only notification was a text, which spouse ignored because he thought we'd be getting a paper bill.
I spent part of the morning today trying to pay the bill by phone.
Several times we input information and the automated system hung up on us. Or, it rang busy. Finally, I tried the option to talk to a representative "with a question".
I was told there was a 17 minute wait.
With the old owner, the pay by phone option was seamless and you spoke to a real person.
Did I mention that the new owner's phone calls are marked spam by our phone provider?
I've had other difficulties in the preceding months (much of it due from understaffing, which is a nationwide issue), and I am so disappointed.
We were told the new owners (Guthrie, and yes, I am calling you out by name) were going to be so much better than the old owners. The old owner had issues, lots of them, but I have a feeling we have been pulled (to use a cliche) from the frying pan into the fire.
There are only two health systems in our area.
The next few months are going to be interesting.
So obnoxious. These big corporations are taking over a lot of practices in our area too, and it's a very different feeling. Profit takes the place of real human interaction.
ReplyDeleteWe had a medical bill once that we didn't know about until it had been turned over to a collection agency.We had been waiting for several months for it. We knew we probably owed something, but I'm the sort that doesn't pay something until they ask for it.
ReplyDeleteGoodness that sounds like a complete mess. You would think if they want their money they would make it easy to pay.
ReplyDeleteVery frustrating experience.
ReplyDeleteI just deleted a text I realized was not spam! I don't get any paper bills, but the new trash company owners send them even though I have direct pay. Medical providers seem to be the worst.
ReplyDeletePrivate health insurance is a minefield. It used to be so simple, but now everything has to be checked and double-checked.
ReplyDelete...health care should not be a money making affair for stockholders.
ReplyDelete