Patient questions ‘improper and long delayed’ billing from CHC

A Commonwealth Health Center patient last week expressed dismay upon receiving a “improper and long delayed” billing for his medical expenses.

Frank H. Cepeda, 50, is a U.S. Army veteran and a registered nurse. Recently, he received from his mailbox a CHC billing dated Jan. 9 from the Guam Marianas Collection Agency, the company contracted by the public hospital to perform billing works for the organization.

Based on the GMCA notice, Cepeda is demanded to pay a total of $75.60 for the “services” he received from CHC in August 2006. The amount covered two unidentified service items—one for $30 and one for $45.60.

GMCA said Cepeda’s delinquent account must be paid in full in 30 days after receipt to avoid further collection actions.

The agency also indicated that failure to make such timely payment will result in reporting the delinquency to all local and national credit bureaus that may impair Cepeda’s ability to obtain credit in the future.

Clueless of what were the services or hospital treatment he received in 2006, Cepeda said he called CHC to inquire and seek clarification. But he was surprised upon hearing the staff’s response.

“I am surprised they cannot explain! After six long years, how can you expect me to keep all those receipts? And now I have no choice but to pay for it or it will go directly to my credit record? That’s unfair!” he said, adding that it’s improper for CHC or its collection agency to issue a notice without specifying what a patient or customer is being billed for.

“I don’t know what this bill is for? What if I was billed for $8K? This is really ridiculous! Where is the fairness in this thing? They are holding me basically at gunpoint [regardless of what amount]. If I did not pay in 30 days, they will ruin my credit [reference and history?” the disappointed retiree said.

Cepeda said he is medically insured by the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs and this is the first time he was cited for delinquency. In the past, he said he just sent all billings or forms to VA for payment and everything was settled.

“For me, it was covered by the insurance already. And because CHC is not doing the proper billing procedure in a timely manner, this thing came up and it needs to stop now.”

Since he retired in 2001, Cepeda said he has never encountered any problem with his insurance especially in the payment issues. In his personal bills, he claimed that he pays in a timely manner.

“Imagine how many other people out there have this same improper billing issue? This is a bad time for everybody, for families, and government workers and they may not afford to pay this. If only CHC is doing this task properly and fairly, we won’t have this issue,” he told Saipan Tribune, adding that he will continue to appeal this notice until some corrections are made.

Saipan Tribune learned that from only one coder prior to the Commpnwealth Healthcare Corp’s. takeover, CHC now has six coders, decentralized in key areas of the hospital to speed up the inputting of medical records so billing and collection will be done in a timely manner.

The corporation recently discovered piles of uncoded medical records that affected the hospital’s revenue collection.

Based on its assessment, there is approximately $52 million in uncollectible bills from patients of which only over $20 million can be collected because of the statute of limitations, or billings that have not been issued for many years and within the scope of the statute.