Complaint Review: Premier Medical Group

One night during the winter of 2009, I was taken to the hospital emergency room for a very painful left kidney.  Turned out it was stones...big ones. The hospital sent a doctor from Hudson Valley Urology (now Premier Medical Group). They inserted a catheter between my bladder and left kidney. A couple of weeks later, they busted up some stones with ultrasonics. I was covered by Medicaid.  Medicaid paid the hospital because they submitted the bill to Medicaid, however, Hudson Valley Urology was never paid because they never submitted the bill to Medicaid. Now, I have a more serious problem with my kidneys.

I was taken to the emergency room a couple of nights ago and was told that I have a load of stones and a serious kidney infection.  Urination is usually preceeded by a lot of blood and massive clots.  I have been referred to Premier Medical Group (the only show in town) and was told that I would have to pay a bill in excess of $7,000 before I could make an appointment with them.  Now, it's only right that if Medicaid denied the bill it would be my responsibility, however, Medicaid didn't deny the bill because they never got it.  I was under the belief that one doctor communicates with the other and that doctor's like to get paid, so I find it just a little difficult to believe that the hospital that called the doctor from Hudson Valley Urology didn't tell  them how they were going to get paid.

Now, my life is on the line and Premier Medical Group is attempting to extort more than $7,000 from me that they just let slip away due to their lack of diligence.   Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz".