I have dual coverage insurance for my daughter so I am not responsible for a co pay but the doctor made me pay $342.50 in co pays. Then my insurance also paid with-in a couple of weeks. That was months ago and I cannot get the office to pay me back, they keep saying it takes time. How long can they hold up my money? Thanks

Depends on where you live and what agreements you have as to how it is applied. In general terms it would be about 1 billing cycle after the insurance has paid their share. If you are under current care then they may try to apply it to ongoing care.

We live in CA and they are not even applying it to on going treatment, they are just stalling. I started asking for it months ago and this Aug. they finally paid me back for the co pays I paid in Jan. and April. They also dated the check 6/01/10 but never mailed it to me until late August. Monday is the last time my daughter is seeing this Dr. and I feel like telling them that I'm not leaving the office without my money. When they asked me to pay in early May, they acted like they had to have their money right now! That was fine, I knew my insurance would be paying shortly so I just thought the bookkeeper would credit my credit card when they did. Ha! They still owe me $342.50. If I were like a lot of people and carried a balance on my credit card I would be paying interest on that money. I just want the same respect I gave them. I paid the money right away instead of making them wait even though my insurance would be paying it with in a few weeks.

So you apply it to on going treatments, send them a letter stating such ?

Thanks, but that's the problem. Between my husbands and my insurance, it gets paid 100%. I knew that in the beginning, but when I tried to expain they wouldn't listen, they wanted their money now! So I figured OK, I'll pay it and they will refund it back to me. I am sure in the end I will get it back, I just wondered how long, legally, they can hold it up.

Hello t:

Legally, they can't "hold" your money AT ALL, or for ANY length of time. I'd just sue 'em in small claims court. That'll give 'em the message you want to send.

excon