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Dear List: You may recall that in October 1998 my husband Joe had a bilateral laparoscopic hernia repair that has proven to be disastrous. At that time, the surgeon punctured his bladder and his peritoneum and he was in the hospital for five days instead of same-day surgery. While that was bad enough, 5 1/2 months later the symptoms are horrible. Joe had an exploratory laparoscopic surgery with another surgeon in February. This surgeon refused to tell us what he found, despite two post-op visits and two letters asking for information. Now he is dunning us to pay his fee. We have medical insurance which will pay his bill in full, yet his office has not submitted a claim. In fact, he has not billed us either, just sends us letters saying we have to pay. My questions: If he submits a claim for his fee to the insurance company, is he somehow admitting his knowledge of the malpractice of the first surgeon? If a surgeon or doctor knows of malpractice on the part of one of his colleagues, is he obligated to report or testify to this? How do doctors feel about testifying against their colleagues in a malpractice proceeding? Does anyone on this great list have any knowledge or experience on this subject? Needless to say, this has not helped Joe's PD. Constant stress, the very thing to avoid, is taking its toll. Thank you for any light you can shed. Sincerely, Ann Gibbons cg/Joe 65/2 [log in to unmask]