# Blue Cross procedures for CF member



## smale436 (20 May 2012)

Having searched previous threads that were all unrelated to my situation, hopefully someone has some knowledge, insight, or previous Blue Cross experience. 

     While on an exercise in Florida in March, I had an injury during our time off requiring me, on advice of my superiors, to attend the local ER for stitches. The injury was such that our CWO said "just go" rather than wasting time trying to track people down. In any case the USN facility was not open. It seems many hospitals are not familiar or will not accept the Blue Cross card and the phone numbers on it, including the MED DENT line, were not answered at that time. Our deployed MO himself had a similar experience when he had to go to the same civilian hospital for an injury he sustained. After everything was done the hospital says "ok you can go we will send the bills in the mail for you to deal with at home."

     I received two bills, one from the hospital and one from the agency the PA worked for, three weeks later and submitted them. Blue Cross staff accepted them to deal with. She said the procedure takes a long time and warned me not to be surprised if I receive mail from collections. Yesterday after returning home from 3 weeks away, I found two new copies of the bill in the mail saying "Seriously past due, delinquency review is being conducted". These are only the second I have received since the originals two months ago. I plan to go talk to the clerk on Tuesday as although these bills are dated three weeks ago the online websites show balances still owing. Having never experienced the process before I'm wondering if perhaps BC has the bills but is so backlogged they haven't initiated a file yet. The amount is less than $1500 so I have mulled over just paying online myself as I'm pretty paranoid about this screwing up my credit. Even if I have to eat the cost and chalk it up to a lesson learned the hard way. However at the same time, I wonder what would happen to someone in this situation for a much more serious medical condition. Thanks for any input.


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## Cansky (20 May 2012)

Do not pay these on your own.  Take all bills including the past due notices back to the Blue cross clerk.  The blue cross clerk can let you know where you bills are at.  They can tell if you bills have been processed. If you pay this then it could result in double payments to the hospital.  Yes blue cross take time but your credit won't and shouldn't be affected.  At the least call who ever the bills are from and explain the situation to them.  Usually they are understanding of the situation.


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## smale436 (20 May 2012)

Thank you for the reply. I assumed, and the BC clerk agreed, that if there was a double payment to the hospital after the fact they would not reimburse me. It seems these American bills tend to arrive in the mailbox 3 weeks or more after the date the statement was printed. The BC clerks here in Cold Lake had no problems dealing with a bill, with not a stitch of English on it, from my roommate's visit to an Italian hospital during his HLTA from Afghanistan.


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