How long can a hospital wait to send you a bill after service is done?
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How long can a hospital wait to send you a bill after service is done?
Local hospital submitted claim to my expired insurance carrier on 01-09-08. The insurance company paid the claim in full even though my policy had termed and my new insurance was in force at the time of service. 2 years and 9 months (09-10) later the previous carrier requested the money back from the hospital and the hospital sent it to them and then sent me the bill. Now my current insurance won’t pay it because they have a length of filing expiration of 03-09. Not my fault, not really even the hospital’s fault. Is there a length of time that an insurance carrier can request a refund?
Asked on November 16, 2010 under Bankruptcy Law, Oklahoma
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
There are a lot of issues here that need to be straightened out and you will need help from someone who can get to the bottom of the matter. The obligation for you to pay the hospital is contractual. So the statute of limitations that applies is the contract one in your state. When you sign all those papers you state that you will pay them what the insurance does not. The hospital has an obligation to submit the bill to the insurance company in a timely manner. They did, but to the wrong insurance company. Whose fault was that? Why were they given the wrong information? That is an issue here. Your "new" insurance company has a right to refuse to pay. Get help. Good luck.
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