suspicious Hilo Medical Center billing problems

[shockwave rider]

My partner switched to Kaiser several years ago and quit being covered by HMSA, after about 18 months he had an emergency hospitalization and surgery that was pre approved by Kaiser. Not only did Hilo hospital bill both insurance companies, but HMSA and Kaiser both paid, Hilo then proceeded to harass and dun my partner for a copay for the part of his bill HMSA did not cover, right up to the edge of sending him to collections. Luckily my partner is a retired accountant, had records of everything, including a digital recording of Kaiser pre approving the course of treatment, so he was able to convince Hilo Hospital to not send him to collections. Now HMSA is threatening him with legal action because Hilo hospital will not return the money they were paid by the wrong insurance company. On the other hand the surgery went well and he he didn't die.

We did not realize there was a problem because Hilo didn't send him any bills for over a year, so that part seems to be standard practice.