Health Insurance Invoice

weetruffle

Hi all,
I really hope someone can give me some advice...

I little while ago I had my impacted wisdom teeth taken out. I had private health insurance through my employer, the claim was ok'ed by Bupa so I went ahead and booked the procedure.

Just after I had the claim ok'ed, I was rather unexpectedly put on gardening leave. After the procedure, BUPA refused to pay the costs of the procedure as the procedure had taken place during my notice period, and in the small print of the policy this meant it was not covered.

After some to'ing and fro'ing with from BUPA, I ended up settling the invoice with the hospital directly as it was just getting very unpleasant (close to a grand).

A year later, I've received an invoice from someone who claims to be the consultant who did the procedure, almost £400 - to be honest. These are the costs fo the procedure he tells me. My response has been that, I'm sorry, I thought I had settled up in full with the hospital. Those were just the hospital costs, is his response and apparently he sent me an email before the procedure telling me that there might be additional costs. I don't have a copy of this email anywhere, I don't remember recieving it and even if I had, at that stage I was under the impression that BUPA would cover everything.

What to do? I'm uncomfortable paying invoices from people who claim to have been involved in a procedure (during with I was unconscious), with whom I don't believe I had a written or oral agreement to pay?

Really appreciate your thoughts on this one. Thanks!

rs65

Can you check the original invoice that you settled to see what it included?

From my own personal experience (and only seeing copy invoices being sent to my insurers) there were separate invoices from the hospital, the surgeon, the anaesthetist and also separate MRI and consultants appointment bills. This wasn't wisdom teeth though - no idea whats involved in what you had done.

Country_Cousin

You can check with the hospital who your surgeon was if you want some reassurance in that respect. But RS65 is quite correct there are separate invoices for the hospital, surgeon and anaesthetist.
It is not your surgeon's fault that your BUPA cover went awry - it is up to the patient to ensure that cover is adequate (although I appreciate your circumstances the sentiment does not change).

Regarding any agreement to pay, I would assume you filled in some sort of contract when you were admitted to the hospital or sent back booking forms.

weetruffle

Hi both,
Thank you for your replies.
You're right, it's not the surgeon's fault and he deserves to be compensated.
I never received anything from him per se - I signed the hospital admittance forms and there may have been something in there. Had I known that it would be me paying for it then I would have paid closer atttention and kept copies of everything. I remember the aneasthetists charges specifically on the hospital invoice and assumed that was the bill for the whole procedure.
I guess it's just one of those things. I just wish I had known. I never would have gone ahead with the treatment.
Thanks