Blindsided

In October 2013 having been admitted into hospital for the first time ever and also my first time making use of my medical aid was diagnosed with SLE. Obviously this required several tests to get this diagnosis. Unfortunately for me having to deal with my diagnosis I had never followed up with my medical aid that all was in order, never the less I was left with a hospital bill of almost R9000 excluding all other tests done in hospital including all my blood work with lancet. I have had no choice but to make credit arrangements to pay off all the bills as I am unemployed. I have without fail kept to my monthly payments but still get rude messages and reminders. My issue is this , I tried asking the above person if they could perhaps charge me cash rates instead of medical aid rates since my medical aid is not paying and I am still paying all of my bills incurred from that initial hospital visit. I was very rudely dismissed that once its on the system as medical aid rates it cannot be changed. Would they rather I not pay at all?? I am sure something can be done seeing that I have not missed a single payment. I wish that hospitals did not refer me to lancet . A little leniancy?????