What doctor bill would you pay first

**Palooka** · 06-03-2008, 02:26 AM

I have four different ones including a dental bill.

I have a balance of 600.00 that I have to pay 33.00 bucks a month or they will charge my account 33.00 on top of that if I am like one day late. Like the mailman messed up or they were slow to process it in their own office. Sigh..Now I just pay on line or by phone with them.

This is through care payment because the hospital wanted the full amount or else.....

Wanted to make sure my good credit stayed that way..

My dental bill is a 400 balance. I pay sometimes twice a month if there is extra money. It doesn't matter because they charge me 5.95 a month because the balance is not payed in full even after insurance payed their part.

A couple others that are around 300 and 500. They both are nice and I pay whatever to them faithfully every month. So I will keep doing that.

I am thinking the 600 one because I have to pay 33.00 a month or else. The dental bill also bothers me because of the 5.95 added on every month, but I don't have to send in a certian amount every month. So lets say the 33 is the highest bill, but if times are hard I can still pay like 10 bucks to the dental(for good faith) and still get that 'intrest' tacted on..but the 33 bucks would turn into a lot more dollars..

As of the moment I have some dollars to at least wipe out one bill. Which one do you think would be the smartest?

Math help! lol

TIA

**Nishu** · 06-03-2008, 03:57 AM

I'd pay the meanest one first.

That's just me.

Does the dental bill charge you 6 dollars as a late fee? Is that the only bill that does? I'd probably pay that one first and then try to get the 33 one next. I suppose ti depends on how likely you are to be late for some reason with the 600 one. Honestly I'm not sure it matters that much whether you pay one or the other first.

**LexTysMommy** · 06-03-2008, 08:12 AM

Wow you would have to sit and figure out how much extra you will pay by paying minimum on all and what $6 a month will equal in long run.

I would pay $33 a month to the one with $600 balance just so late fee not added. Then pay $5-$10 a month to other ones that do not charge or have late fees, just so they continue to be lienient.

Then I would pay down the dental bill as much as possible every month. To get rid of the $400 balance and $6 a month ($72 a year!!).

**Mom23boys** · 06-03-2008, 11:28 AM

Can you afford to make the $33 payment every month? If not, I would pay this bill first because it is the one causing you the most grief. If you miss a payment, they tack on another $33 and your bill is growing which is not good.

You can always send $5-$10 each month on the other doctor bills. It shows that you are paying in good faith. When you have extra, then you can pay extra, but my main concern would be to eliminate the one that is the financial burden.

I would also try to tackle the dental bill because if you only pay $5.95 a month to them then you are not reducing the balance. I am sure you pay more since you pay twice a month, but they keep adding 'interest' to the bill which keeps it from decreasing as fast as you would like.

Just my opinion.

**heartofmine** · 06-03-2008, 12:29 PM

You said you have some money to wipe out at least one bill so I assume you have at least $600.00 since that is the biggest bill. If so here is what I would do. You said the dental is $400.00. I'd pay it off completely so you don't have the interest of $5.95 and that would leave you with $200.00. Take that $200.00 and pay it on the $600.00 bill bringing it down to $400.00. Then each month pay the $33.00 plus add the amount of what you would have paid on the dental bill to it to get it paid off or at least pay $50.00 which would be less than you are paying now for the 2 bills. You could then pay that bill off in 8 months if you paid $50.00. After that is paid work on the other 2 bills paying them down.

**I understand how hard it is to pay of a bunch of doctor bills. I'm in the same boat paying numerous bills so I've learned to finagle things around. Thankfully none of mine are charging me interest and most have been pretty agreeable of me paying payments each month. The only headache was one hospital bill which wanted it all at once which I didn't have and the payments were high. I came into some extra money and paid it off about a month ago. It was such a relief.

**pecunierrant** · 06-03-2008, 05:56 PM

I think if it were me I'd pay off the $600 one just to be rid of the big bill, roll that $33 monthly payment towards the dental bill to help knock that out next.
What a weight off the shoulders to be rid of the big bill is how I'd see it, and no double payments if you're late.

High five on getting those bills paid down!

**mombottoo** · 06-03-2008, 09:38 PM

Is it even legal for a doctor's office or hospital to charge that amount for a fee (the $33.00)? It seems kind of steep to me, but then again I have never dealt with any medical practicioner that charged late fees or interest. I would guess the $5.95 would be considered reasonable, but I think it is unreasonable for the balance owed.

I would pay off the $600 bill first, since it is the one that charges the highest fee...but, during the mean time I would also work on paying off the dentist bill as quickly as possible.

**Palooka** · 06-03-2008, 10:27 PM

Thanks for the great advice everyone. I've been thinking about it and I think I am going to pay the big bill off for peace of mind and try to use the extra to pay down the dental. Like tomorrow so the money doesn't get spent.

I will just keep sending a small amount to the nice doctors office for now so I have more money to knock out the mean ones.

**Palooka** · 06-03-2008, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by mombottoo

Is it even legal for a doctor's office or hospital to charge that amount for a fee (the $33.00)? It seems kind of steep to me, but then again I have never dealt with any medical practicioner that charged late fees or interest. I would guess the $5.95 would be considered reasonable, but I think it is unreasonable for the balance owed.

I would pay off the $600 bill first, since it is the one that charges the highest fee...but, during the mean time I would also work on paying off the dentist bill as quickly as possible.

That bill is through care payment. it's like an option doctors use to get their bill in full and it sets you up with another company to pay. That company pays the hospital off.

The hospital threaten to turn me over to collections for paying on it and not the full amount the first time.

The crazy thing is that I never read any fine print about being charged 5.95 to the dentist. I even called them about it. I still need more dental work done but I will wait until that bill is payed for so I don't get more behind.

**BetterLateThanNever** · 06-03-2008, 11:02 PM

Did you contact any of your doctors to see if they offer finacial assistance? I did this last year with one doctor where i owed like $600 and they took care of 50% of the bill. You have to ask they won't offer it. Actually you should ask for any financial assistance before making any payments. From what I understand by making payments first before receiving financial aid you are assuming responsiblity for the bill.

So may be too late but I would pay off the dental first since they charge a monthly fee and you need dental work in the near future.

Also do you have any thing you can sell or some little job you can do to bring in extra $$$ and get the $600 paid off soon? You might want to think about picking up an extra job since you need more dental work and this way you can pay in advance.

Also I would look for a new dentist after you get all your dental work done. i've never heard of a dentist who charges a montly fee.

Also do you have a college or univeristy in your area that has a dental school. Most dental programs give a large discount on services if you are willing to have a student learn on you. I know of a woman who paid for both of her daughter's braces this way. She said that there is an instructor supervising the student's every move so nothing bad or painful can happen.

You may be able to get the next step in your dental problems taken care of cheaply this way.

HTH

**Mom23boys** · 06-03-2008, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by BetterLateThanNever

Did you contact any of your doctors to see if they offer finacial assistance? I did this last year with one doctor where i owed like $600 and they took care of 50% of the bill. You have to ask they won't offer it. Actually you should ask for any financial assistance before making any payments. From what I understand by making payments first before receiving financial aid you are assuming responsiblity for the bill.

Great suggestion!! I did this a few years back when DH had a large bill at the hospital and they knocked off around $350. I just asked if I paid the bill in full today if they could reduce the amount owed and she said yes.

It doesn't hurt to ask. I then sent a formal letter stating what we had agreed to along with the payment we agreed to.

**Palooka** · 06-03-2008, 11:56 PM

Originally Posted by BetterLateThanNever

Did you contact any of your doctors to see if they offer finacial assistance? I did this last year with one doctor where i owed like $600 and they took care of 50% of the bill. You have to ask they won't offer it. Actually you should ask for any financial assistance before making any payments. From what I understand by making payments first before receiving financial aid you are assuming responsiblity for the bill.

So may be too late but I would pay off the dental first since they charge a monthly fee and you need dental work in the near future.

Also do you have any thing you can sell or some little job you can do to bring in extra $$$ and get the $600 paid off soon? You might want to think about picking up an extra job since you need more dental work and this way you can pay in advance.

Also I would look for a new dentist after you get all your dental work done. i've never heard of a dentist who charges a montly fee.

Also do you have a college or univeristy in your area that has a dental school. Most dental programs give a large discount on services if you are willing to have a student learn on you. I know of a woman who paid for both of her daughter's braces this way. She said that there is an instructor supervising the student's every move so nothing bad or painful can happen.

You may be able to get the next step in your dental problems taken care of cheaply this way.

HTH

Hah, finacial assistance here? Well yes I have. They have no mercy. Even my dentist suggested the care payment program. It's just so they get payed and you have to pay a certain percent of the bill a month to the company.

What is even worse is all the dentist are making you pay your balance in full the same day after insurance. My husbands dentist of years just changed to this. My dentist I actually went to high school with and we have a chain of circle of friends, but I respect it is her business. Like I remember a time when you could just pay whatever on your balance and everyone would be happy campers. Not anymore...

I can't go to a dental school because I have dental insurance. Crazy how that system works, eh?

Now days doctors do what they want to protect themselves. They know we need them. That is why I can get bitchy about the system here(not about your post) Something needs to change.

maybe I should try to call the nice doc and maybe ask them. I never bothered with them because they are so nice on the phone and take my small payment monthy and seem fine with that.