I received a bill in the mail recently from my HMO asking me to pay $20 for an appointment that I clearly remember paying the $20 co-pay for. I went in for a tetanus shot, but I did not remember hearing that I have to pay extra for the shot.
I decided not to pay the bill right away, but rather check to confirm that I had, in fact, paid a co-pay. I found the payment on Mint searching for medical costs. I was not going to pay $40 for a $20 appointment, so I called the billing center.
I had to wait on hold and was transferred a couple of times, but I ended up on the phone with a polite CSR and explained the situation. He had to ask a supervisor, putting me on hold, to take a look at the situation as well.
After I was done, they said that I should disregard the bill. A 10 minute phone call saved me $20. Do not always assume an invoice is correct. Check things out and save the cash. If I could make $20 every ten minutes ($120 an hour) today, I would be a happy camper. Diligence pays.
