Patient AB underwent a rotator cuff reconstruction in January, more than four months ago.  You billed the health plan that Mr. AB’s hospital record indicated.  The health plan denied the claim on the ground that Mr. AB was not enrolled.  You then billed Mr. AB directly for $1072.50 your usual and customary charges for anesthesia for a 120-minute open procedure on the shoulder joint (CPT™ code 01630, 15 units x $75 conversion factor) and an epidural for post-operative pain (CPT™ code 64415, $97.50).  You re-billed the patient in March, in April and again on May 15th.  Your billing office reached Mr. AB on the telephone on May 16th and was told that (1) his insurance was supposed to cover everything, (2) no one had told him to expect a bill for anesthesia separate from the hospital and surgeon statements and (3) he was now unemployed and did not have the money. ...