******* BILLING PRACTICES

My parent's qualify for senior citizen rates on all their blood tests and the test requisition form specifically states this. Pathcare then decides because they will get more money on the medical aid rates option, they submit invoices directly to the medical aid for payment. So when I inform them that the invoice should be on senior citizen rates, they raise a credit note. Then within 3 weeks they reverse the senior citizen invoice and re-issue a new invoice to the medical aid on the hope that the medical aid will pay. Invoice previously paid in full are now showing as outstanding because they re-invoiced under the higher medical aid rates. Pathcare seem to think that they can just submit tests for payment to medical aids without the member's approval. We will see what the Ombud has to say about their conduct.