Mr. W.B. Cornell, III
Sheppard Pratt Collections
6501 North Charles Street
P.O. Box 6815
Baltimore, Maryland 21285-6815
Re: Patient Number: 30285-1
Date of Admission: September 30, 1996
Dear Mr. Cornell:
I am in receipt of your letter dated May 27, 1997. Apparently, you have chosen to dwell on the physician, not the hospital, bill this time around. When might I have a response on the two bills together?
It is duly noted that your letter arriving last week marked the eight (8) month anniversary of the date of first service at Sheppard Pratt.
I care not to be conducting correspondence alternating between physician and hospital neither for the short or long term future. It is burdensome and it is dilatory and harassing coming as it does eight months after the fact and well after the merger of SEPH with GBMC has strewn all records and witnesses hither and yon.
Read my lips: As I stated in my letter of April 28 (over a month ago), "... my checking records reveal Check No. 648 in the amount of $130 for "Initial Evaluation" dated September 30, 1997, clearing in the same amount on October 11, 1996."
Not to mention: Appended to the letter of April 28 were copies of the price lists I not only received but was compelled to sign for on that first date of service. Your "gracious" acceptance of $100.00 in payment for two hours of group therapy with a social worker is in accordance with the prevailing price list and shall not be construed as any form of "forgiveness" on your part.
How many other patients are embroiled in the same or similar billing misadventures eight months after the fact?
Get it together and get it straight. Then and only then write me back. I trust you will find a number closely approximating a zero balance.
cc: Maryland Attorney General
Health Advocacy Unit
Att'n: Mr. Harold Frankle (w/enc)
Insurance Fraud Division
Maryland Insurance Administration
Att'n: Mr. Larry Morse (w/enc)
(Please share a copy with Susan Amrose, Patient Rights Advisor)
P.S. If you do write back, make sure your numbers add up in all directions.