In September, I took Warrick to the ER because he fell from a rock climbing wall at the playground. I got a bill shortly after for $91. I completely forgot about this bill. I put it in my "pay bill" file and never paid it. Opps. Then last week, I received a "final notice" bill in the mail. I only got one bill so I thought it was weird that I was already getting a final notice. Attached to the bill was a financial assistance program sheet that said if a family of 4 made under $92,000 a year that they would qualify. I called and asked about the program, they asked me what our yearly salary was and they said it was taken care of. It was that easy!
A few months ago we had some internet problems and had a service tech come to the house. A few weeks later I got a bill which charged me $159 extra for a service technician charge. They had just been out to install our internet 6 weeks prior and I had paid a $159 fee then. There was no way I was paying it again. Before I called AT&T I wrote down all the reasons why I thought we shouldn't have to pay the extra $159 fee for the tech the second time around. I called AT&T and I barely got through my first reason and they said that they would take the charge off my bill. It was that easy!
I look back and can think of all the times that I received a bill and just paid it because I thought it was easier than calling and asking a question or two. But I've quickly learned the power of making a phone call, even if it may be awkward!
Do you have similar stories?
I can not think of an instance like that, but I do know in Korea it was going to be cheaper for us to get a "contract" phone instead of a "pay for minutes as you need them" phone. Everyone told us not to get a contract because it was more hoops to jump through when it was time to leave. It ended up that we got our phones free (and Ian got 12 cups of Ramen free...I got 24 free rolls of TP) and it was not a hassle to cancel our contract at the end of our two years. My co-teacher did have to call the phone company and she wrote a note in Korean that I took with me to the phone shop, but that was it. We definitely saved money by getting the contract. That is my story :-)
ReplyDeleteWhen Raegan was born, we had several immediate follow-up doctor visits that we had to take her to before we had her insurance card. The lady at the front desk just kept saying to bring it to the next scheduled appointment after we received it and they would take care of the billing. We didn't get her card until just before her 2 month appointment, so I took it with us then. About a month later, I got a bill for $500!! I called and the billing department told me we would have to pay it since the appointments we owed for were over 90 days old. She said the doctor office and the billing office were two separate entities so the front desk lady had no right to tell me that it would be taken care of. After explaining calmly and being persistent, the billing manager finally told me that it was their fault and that I shouldn't be held responsible for it. We didn't have to pay it and I am so glad I called!!!
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