Get your books in order

I have been consulting with a doctor at the Malvern Medicross quite regularly in the last 12 - 15 months. Generally, I have been satisfied with the reception staff and have been treated well by the doctor and nursing staff. However, I have serious misgivings with regards to the administrative staff. I saw the dr on 04/04 and when I was signing the claim for payment from the medical aid, I realised that the bill was quite high. I therefore opted to pay R561 for medication, and asked that the amount for the consult only be claimed from medical aid. Charlene assured me that she would follow up with the medical aid to ensure that I didn't pay twice. She also insisted that I pay the R561 immediately, which i did using my debit card. On 27/07 I suddenly remembered that i hadn't checked my statements from the medical aid to ensure if this was the case, and when i did check, well, lo and behold, the medical aid had paid for the medication as well. No one at Malvern Medicross bothered to contact me to inform me of this. So I contacted the Manager, Roshan Ramparsad to ask for a refund. He made it seem like i was asking him to move heaven and earth - Medicross had done something wrong, and he was basically making it my problem - making the whole process very difficult and drawn out. An amount of R 496.78 was finally refunded to me on 10/08. I was supposed to be refunded R557.99. When i contacted the MM to enquire, I was then informed that on 28/04, the medical aid had not paid R 61.15, so that had been deducted from the amount that was due to me. I am absolutely appalled by the manner in which this manner has been handled. To add insult to injury, they deposited a cheque into my bank account , which attracted a charge or R30 - who still uses cheques - haven't they heard of EFTs? I would like this matter to be investigated and i would like feedback, specifically with respect to: 1. why was i not contacted and notified of the double payment - is this essentially not *****? 2. Why was i not contacted and asked for payment or the shortfall of R 61.15 - does the accounts department not reconcile the accounts each month. To me it seems a tit-for-tat...I asked for a refund of my money, and was then asked to pay the other shortfall. If I didn't ask for the refund, would i have been asked to pay the R61.15 3. I expect to be refunded R30.00, which i have had to pay for the cheque to be processed - i will not pay that out of my pocket. 4. What will be done to ensure that this does not happen again. I would also like an apology from Medicross and the *********** personnel involved. Like I indicated, I am very happy with the medical treatement I have received at Malvern Medicross, it's a crying shame that it is not supported by the Administrative team!