Vet Bill Arrives 2 Years Later

[Write_amp_Ride]

At my previous barn there was a vet who mostly did vaccinations and filled prescriptions for banamine, bute, etc. She was not my regular vet though I did have her do spring/fall shots a few times to stay on the barn schedule. My trainer gave my horse banamine at shows a few times, that prescription would have come through this vet.

A year ago I got a bill and called about it. I had paid bills for this vet and thought we were square. The office manager said they’re super slow about billing. I paid that bill thinking that was the end of it. However, I got another bill this week that’s dated well over 2 years ago!
I do not have records from that far back over what was done, what medication my horse got at a show, or if I have already paid this bill. The vet’s office is so disorganized that they very well could be billing me twice. My husband thinks this is nuts and told me not to pay the bill. I always pay for a service received but I sure as heck don’t want to pay for something twice.
What would you do?

[trubandloki]

I am about as ‘pay the vet’ as a person can be. I have even called my vet to tell them they forgot something on my bill.

I think this is crazy. Two years? Who bills something for the first time two years after the fact? That is not slow billing that is just crazy billing.

I agree with your husband.

Though I would not just ignore it. I would call up the office and explain that all the records you have show you are current with your billing with this vet and had no outstanding invoices and something from two years ago is not something you can research anymore. If it takes them two years to bill then it is their loss.

I would feel differently if this bill had been going back and forth between you and them for this time, but a first bill after two years of nothing…no way.

[Gainer]

I recently had a vet’s office (not my current one, this was a clinic I hadn’t used in over 10 years) send me a bill, with my name on it and a list of charges for several horses, none of which were mine.

I called them up, nicely told them it wasn’t my bill. Office manager argued with me about it. Told her she needed to go through her client files and see what client those horses’ names belonged to. Never heard from her again. One of the reasons I dropped that particular vet.

Used a barn farrier once, never got an invoice from him after several requests. Finally just sent him the payment. Sure enough, over a year later, I get an invoice from him. It boggles my mind how some of these “professionals” stay in business.

[Edre]

@trubandloki

I would call up the office and explain that all the records you have show you are current with your billing with this vet and had no outstanding invoices and something from two years ago is not something you can research anymore. If it takes them two years to bill then it is their loss.

I agree with all of this. As someone who works in accounts payable, I’m a stickler about paying what you owe - but in this case, I would not be paying. Businesses that engage in best practices (including good bookkeeping and timely invoicing) do not take two years to bill someone.

i would also wonder how it came up now (did they find a folder of invoices they think are outstanding? But are they actually sure those were never paid?) because without excellent book keeping and records I see way too much room for a situation where they may have recorded the invoice once, lost track of it so reissued it (which you paid) and now they’re finding the lost one thinking it was never paid (but you already did). This is a frustratingly common situation I run into and I think something similar in your circumstance seems highly likely.

[FitToBeTied]

We used a vet that was like this. We dropped the vet. I certainly wouldn’t pay a bill from two years ago.

[Ladylexie]

I wouldn’t pay it that’s ridiculous.

[Groom_amp_Taxi]

If they are that slow about billing, they are probably at least that slow in following up on unpaid bills. I don’t know if there is a statute of limitations on things like this, but I would certainly be inclined to ignore…

[Xanthoria]

I have two vets I use. One bills, and I pay, on the spot. The other never bills. Literally never. If I try to pin him down on what I woe today he will either say x (usually dental sedation) or “oh well let’s discuss…” or “I’ll let you know…” as he wanders away.

Since I LIKE him, aside from this excruciating habit, I guesstimate the amount and hand him a check. Or just give him a $500 check every other time. Ridiculous.

[tangledweb]

I’d ask them for a complete statement of all charges and payments on your account with them. If their paperwork is organized enough that they can generate that, and it looks accurate, I’d pay the bill.

If you just don’t pay, you’ll probably find it sent to a debt collector who will probably be more efficient at sending bills and recording on your credit report. If you make them do work to verify that the bill is accurate, maybe they will get around it, maybe they wont.

[TCA_Arabians]

I’d write a letter protesting the bill and state that you paid it. That way, if they ever get around to trying to collect you have a written record of your protest and request for documentation.

I audit my own medical bills for the same reasons. Practically all of them have errors.

[Princess_Sparkles]

I would definitely call the office and question the bill. Something showing up after that long smacks of someone finding an invoice and assuming it hasn’t been paid and sending it out.

My vet left a practice and started her own and for a while she was slow with billing. It was understandable, but I had wracked up quite a bill in that time because, you know, horses. I finally texted her and politely asked her to please bill me before it got any bigger, and she did :). But we are talking a maybe five-six month period, not two YEARS.

I don’t know what type of accounting system they have, but it should have the ability to enter when a payment has been made so it doesn’t continue producing invoices for paid accounts (and doesn’t rely on a human remembering if they were paid or not). But if someone didn’t enter your payment, either, that could cause an error.

Is the bill itemized? Did you keep the last bill you got from them a year ago? Is it the same bill again? If so and they match you have your proof right there that the bill has already been paid. If you don’t have it, can you remember how you paid? With banking online these days you can go back through your transactions and find the last time you paid this vet’s office. If the amount matches this new bill, again, you have your proof that it is an old bill you already paid.

I wouldn’t just ignore it–contact the office and be clear that billing a client two years later is unacceptable, and you dispute that you owe anything. If they are smart they will just let it go, as they will realize how ridiculous they are to be that late billing someone.

[Heinz_57]

Yup, I wouldn’t just pay it either, unless it’s a nominal amount like <$50.

They should be able to provide you with a complete record of your account for each billing and payment received, and if you can look that far back into your own bank account or credit card statement, you should be able to line up which bills you’ve paid.

I once received a billing statement from my (human) chiropractor’s office for THREE YEARS worth of copays. Every time I had an appointment, I’d check in with the front desk afterwards and they always told me I was good to go, so I never gave it a thought. Turns out I owed a copay on each visit, but they contracted with a third party billing service - who when I called, claimed I had been sent a bill every single month of those three years but could not actually provide me with copies of each statement when I requested them, nor could they explain why I hadn’t been sent to collections already. I paid the bill because I did not dispute owing, but I did make a point of telling my chiro the whole story - she was very apologetic and I think may have stopped using that service.

[RUDoinGoodRUGoodDoin]

If you call them and straighten it out over the phone, I’d definitely have them send you a statement that your balance is zero. In my experience, disorganization like you describe is only resolved until the next person tries to reconcile the billing and resends you the balance due, starting everything over again.

[clanter]

As others have stated they would have to provide a detailed itemized billing… and if they do so and it actually is correct just tell them the payment is coming in two years (maybe)

[Woodsperson]

There is a statute of limitations for debt. In Texas this would be an open account and its 4 years. In other states it is called something different and may be for a shorter period of time. Attempts to threaten and sue for debt past the statute of limitations may run afoul of Debt Collection Laws.

[Smashley]

I have not had this happen with a Vet, but I did have it happen with a medical bill over 2 years after my twins were born. There was some billing drama and they tried to say I only paid for one twin. Luckily my state has a billing advocate, I filed a complaint and the bill disappeared. I got a letter confirming it was settled. I might be able to go digging and find the info if you are unable to resolve to see if there is something similar for your state.

[gottagrey]

let me get this straight. A year ago you get a bill from this vet, call to discuss it and pay it. Then you get another bill that apparently is for services prior to the one you paid? If that’s the case, one would assume that the bill you paid would’ve carried any balance forward. If I’m reading it correctly, I too, would not pay the bill as the last bill you paid should have included any current and past due balances. I would also request an itemized bill for the dates of services and demand a final bill of any outstanding amount owed - if it’s not too much I might just go ahead and pay it so credit doesn’t get ruined (who knows if they’re even that savvy to send to collections).

[Write_amp_Ride]

Thank you all for weighing in on this. To clarify, the bill I got a year ago was for services rendered 2-3 yrs ago. This is supposedly a “new” bill. It bothers me that I have no chance of knowing if there is a mistake on this bill. Even if it’s itemized I won’t know for sure if my horse did get the banamine or if I already paid part or all of the bill. I just have to take it on faith that it’s correct. I will probably call and tell them that I just can’t pay this, for all the reasons above.
Again, thank you for all your clear insights. I appreciate it!

[Palm_Beach]

@Write&Ride

Thank you all for weighing in on this. To clarify, the bill I got a year ago was for services rendered 2-3 yrs ago. This is supposedly a “new” bill. It bothers me that I have no chance of knowing if there is a mistake on this bill. Even if it’s itemized I won’t know for sure if my horse did get the banamine or if I already paid part or all of the bill. I just have to take it on faith that it’s correct. I will probably call and tell them that I just can’t pay this, for all the reasons above.
Again, thank you for all your clear insights. I appreciate it!

It should have, at least, the date of service.

Can you check to see if you were at a show that date? And I’m really confused as to why you get banamine at shows so regularly you can’t keep track of it, and why the vet is billing you although the trainer administers it. Is it “that” expensive to get banamine at a show that you would only be billed and therefore pay for “part” of the bill??? If the treatment was extensive enough that you were only billed for “part” of the total service, you really should remember this! Usually that would be an illness or injury that is memorable.

[Write_amp_Ride]

@Palm Beach

It should have, at least, the date of service.

Can you check to see if you were at a show that date? And I’m really confused as to why you get banamine at shows so regularly you can’t keep track of it, and why the vet is billing you although the trainer administers it. Is it “that” expensive to get banamine at a show that you would only be billed and therefore pay for “part” of the bill??? If the treatment was extensive enough that you were only billed for “part” of the total service, you really should remember this! Usually that would be an illness or injury that is memorable.

You are going off on a non-productive tangent. I never said I got banamine so regularly I can’t keep track of it or that any treatment was extensive or that I can’t remember if my horse was ill or injured.
My point is that 2-3 years after the fact it is hard for me to prove whether that prescription was indeed for my horse or that I didn’t already pay that bill. It’s an unfair burden on me when their billing is so outrageously late and possibly erroneous.
In any case, everyone else gave me great advice and insights which were quite helpful.