Lancet accounts Department are ridiculous

On the 15 March 2024, My husband received a sms from attorneys to say that we have been handed over for not paying a lancet account. I then called Lancet to verify what the account was for as is was the first time that we had heard that we owed them money, they then clarified that the account was for 2022 when my son who was only about three months was admitted to hospital and medical aid did not pay the full amount due for blood tests.

I then asked the call center agent why were we not notified about the outstanding bill as this was over a year and half ago and i was advised that the send sms to say that an account is outstanding and the number that they had was not even my contact, i then requested that the supervisor to contact me as if we had known about the outstanding bill we would have submitted this to our gap cover who would have sorted out the bill. They said that their supervisor will call me but did not receive a call from them only got a call on the 21st March from another call center agent to advise me that the previous agent was confused and that the sms was sent to my number but the hospital had the one digit as incorrect and that unfortunately that was not their problem they sent sms and it is now handed over and i need to pay the outstanding bill which i clearly think is not fair as i had known gap would have paid this account. After a few arguments with the agent i requested that the supervisor call me to discuss and was told that the supervisors do not call clients back, i told the agent that i want a supervisor to contact me as this is not our fault. A few minutes later Thanda a supervisor contacted me and explained the same thing that the agent told me that unfortunately they sent me sms's and it is not their fault that the number they have on the hospital form is incorrect and i still have to pay the account, i the requested why do they not use any other methods of communicating besides an sms as it is not a proper way to contact your clients they said that is how their account department works, i then requested that they send me the proof of my incorrect cell number that the hospital gave them and received the page confirming my number which is correct but someone on their side captured my number incorrect and because of this the sms was not coming through to me so this is now my fault and i must be the one out of pocket to pay this bill which i think is unfair.

The accounts department at lancet is ridiculous and costing clients money if they are given medical aid details surely they can pick up the clients correct details and if they do not get feedback on the clients account within 30 days of not paying they should try to get other ways of contacting the client.