Speedy, efficient administration, - Not!

[Chancer]

It is not unusual at this time of year for the simplest of things to take several weeks but one would have hoped that computerised systems would actually continue to work during les vacances but I guess that would not be showing solidarity for the fonctionaires.

This is the history of my last hospital bill, what follows is typical of all the bills I have had for several years including utilities which are settled via teh trésorie publique, I have in the past had bills be issued 18 months after the treatment.

22nd May consultation at CHU Amiens

26th June facture raised for €6.90

End of July facture arrives in mt boite à lettres.

14th August I pay it by catre bleue at the Trésorie publique after winning the the traditional argument that I am not allowed to pay that way (I am and I always do), the processing of the bills is like something from the ark, the bottom cut off the bill, then cut into several pieces to be stapled to several photocopies of the bill, signed and stamped and filed in different trays, the same procedure repeated for the utilitue bills as they wont accept one pyamnet for them all, except when it is cash or cheque, a refusal to give me any form of reciept followed by the same discussion "you know what happens every time, I get chased for the unpaid bill" finally begrudgingly they tampon the facture payé with the date, total elapsed time at the counter about 15 minutes and a lot of angry tut tutting and ooh la la la la la la's from the queue behind me.

23rd August an attestation de paiment is sent  from the Direction generale des finances publiques dated  showing that the bill was paid on the 22nd of August, 8 days to work through the system.

Today 2 weeks later I recieve the first lettre de relance dated the 20th August, it says to ignore it if I have already paid the bill but bitter experience tells me that they will continue until a mise en demeur, if I am lucky I can get the Trésorie publique to intervene and phone the DGFP but depending on who it is é times out of 3 I have to go to Amiens where after a long wiat they just tell me to go away without even looking at the records telling me it will sort itself out, that they have had lots of computer problems.

It is no exaggeration to say that this happens at least 8 times per year, most often after a holiday period.

[NormanH]

Looks like letter was sent (20th August) before the payment was registered (22nd August)

I think it will stop there...[:-))]