Caught between Insurance and Hearing Aid Provider

Looking for some advice on how to navigate a difficult situation that occurred when I recently obtained new hearing aids.

My insurance (BCBS PPO) states my hearing aid benefit is “no charge” deductible does not apply. 1 device per ear every 36 months. I have the large booklet of my plan. There is no fine print listed on the dollar amount maximum or anything.

First of all, I called to confirm my provider was in network. Both BCBS and provider confirmed this several times. However, BCBS went back and forth on my actual benefit. They told me a different story every time I called. They told the provider a different amount altogether. It was a mess.

When I went to pick up the hearing aids, the provider collected the difference between what BCBS quoted them and the cost of the hearing aids.

My claim was processed incorrectly and went through my deductible. I sorted that out with BCBS, and the claim was reprocessed. Patient responsibility is zero.

HOWEVER, provider is refusing to refund my money, which is a about half the cost of the hearing aids (several thousand dollars). They basically made me sign a form when I picked up the hearing aids that I would owe them what insurance didn’t pay. However they pre-checked the box that says insurance would not cover in full, which was in error as my benefit says otherwise. I didn’t realize that the purpose of the form was essentially to get me to waive my “in network discount” which was a substantial part of my benefit. I knew I would owe them anything my benefit didn’t cover, but I thought the in network discount would still be honored. They are saying it will not be.

Another piece worth mentioning is that my plan is in one state, where my company that I work remotely for is based, and my provider and where I live are in another state. That may be part of the issue is that the contracted rate in my state may be different than the state where my plan is based.

Is there anything I can do? Or if it’s too late for me, is there a way I can stop them from extorting all their patients to waive part of their benefit and profit from them?