Justin White
New Member
- Jurisdiction
- Pennsylvania
So I was employed by a company that was having some obvious financial trouble towards the end, but were lying about the situation. The last couple of months we were paid out typical net amount in bank/cashiers checks not payroll checks and without statements. The assets (not the business) were being purchased by a customer of the company with plans to continue operating the facility and retain the employees so most of us just hung in there.
Our last paycheck for the previous employer was not paid. There is no record of taxes, 401k, or health insurance being paid for over 2 months and it's likely that none of it was. The PA DOL was contacted and seemed rather incompetent, and I believe the DA is looking into a criminal case but who knows how any of that is going.
My current issue aside from the above is that my dentist is billing me for $2k. Now prior to really any of the funny business mentioned above being obvious I had some dental work done, and paid my deductibles on the spot. I contacted the insurance company prior to my visit and was assured I was covered, the plan was fine.
When the new company took over HR mentioned the previous employer did not pay anything and it would all be rebilled, and I was furious. I again contacted the dental insurance provider and they said "no, we already paid the claim and your coverage never lapsed." which they did pay the dentist. Fast forward another month and the dentist tells me that I will be billed because the insurance company requested a refund.....from the dentist and the dentist had to comply so I would owe the money. So now I can't return to that dentist unless I pay and I'm getting bills.
So it's pretty obvious that the reason these insurance companies operate this way in the case of non payment from the employer is because of they are subverting some kind of legal responsibilities. Obviously I have no way of knowing the status of a policy unless they tell me, at least when I ask, then there is the whole question of why would they demand a refund from the dentist without making any effort to contact me. It makes no sense, and I see no recourse since MY dispute would be with the insurance company but they have never contacted me nor explained to me a reason for demanding a refund. My dentist can offer me no reasoning or documentation other than attempt to bill me.
Now I have no doubt that all of this is true, my employer was a scumbag and this happened to others. If I step back 5 feet and look at what I KNOW rather than what someone has told me I know A) I had coverage at the time, and B) the claims were paid. So how can I be billed for something that no one will produce a document for or proof of since I was not the actual party who was responsible to each of these entities. So what is the recourse? I have contacted some labor attorneys who really don't take this serious and bounce the case around to other firms, nobody really wants it likely due to the amount. Do I pay the dentist so I don't have my credit affected even though the dentist can't provide actual documentation about what or why this is happening?
Our last paycheck for the previous employer was not paid. There is no record of taxes, 401k, or health insurance being paid for over 2 months and it's likely that none of it was. The PA DOL was contacted and seemed rather incompetent, and I believe the DA is looking into a criminal case but who knows how any of that is going.
My current issue aside from the above is that my dentist is billing me for $2k. Now prior to really any of the funny business mentioned above being obvious I had some dental work done, and paid my deductibles on the spot. I contacted the insurance company prior to my visit and was assured I was covered, the plan was fine.
When the new company took over HR mentioned the previous employer did not pay anything and it would all be rebilled, and I was furious. I again contacted the dental insurance provider and they said "no, we already paid the claim and your coverage never lapsed." which they did pay the dentist. Fast forward another month and the dentist tells me that I will be billed because the insurance company requested a refund.....from the dentist and the dentist had to comply so I would owe the money. So now I can't return to that dentist unless I pay and I'm getting bills.
So it's pretty obvious that the reason these insurance companies operate this way in the case of non payment from the employer is because of they are subverting some kind of legal responsibilities. Obviously I have no way of knowing the status of a policy unless they tell me, at least when I ask, then there is the whole question of why would they demand a refund from the dentist without making any effort to contact me. It makes no sense, and I see no recourse since MY dispute would be with the insurance company but they have never contacted me nor explained to me a reason for demanding a refund. My dentist can offer me no reasoning or documentation other than attempt to bill me.
Now I have no doubt that all of this is true, my employer was a scumbag and this happened to others. If I step back 5 feet and look at what I KNOW rather than what someone has told me I know A) I had coverage at the time, and B) the claims were paid. So how can I be billed for something that no one will produce a document for or proof of since I was not the actual party who was responsible to each of these entities. So what is the recourse? I have contacted some labor attorneys who really don't take this serious and bounce the case around to other firms, nobody really wants it likely due to the amount. Do I pay the dentist so I don't have my credit affected even though the dentist can't provide actual documentation about what or why this is happening?
