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Thread: A wrongful billing

  1. #21
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    pjohns's Avatar Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Who View Post
    You certainly don't want the hospital turning the matter over to a third party for collection, have your credit rating impacted or end up in litigation.
    Well, that is not exactly correct.

    The only reason I value my credit rating is out of sheer pride. (It fluctuates--rather inexplicably--between the high 790s and the low 800s.)

    But I do not intend to ever purchase anything on credit again. So it really has no practical value.

    And I would be more than happy for the hospital to turn over the matter for collection. (My only caveat, as I mentioned previously, is that I would not wish to embarrass the debt collector, who would really be innocent in all this.)

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    Quote Originally Posted by pjohns View Post
    Well, that is not exactly correct.

    The only reason I value my credit rating is out of sheer pride. (It fluctuates--rather inexplicably--between the high 790s and the low 800s.)

    But I do not intend to ever purchase anything on credit again. So it really has no practical value.

    And I would be more than happy for the hospital to turn over the matter for collection. (My only caveat, as I mentioned previously, is that I would not wish to embarrass the debt collector, who would really be innocent in all this.)
    I don't know PJ, to me life's too short to spend time fighting over something that might otherwise be resolved without a lot of teeth gnashing and legal bills.
    In quoting my post, you affirm and agree that you have not been goaded, provoked, emotionally manipulated or otherwise coerced into responding.



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    John Galt (10-28-2020)

  4. #23
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    pjohns's Avatar Senior Member
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    Update: Here is the note--verbatim--that I sent to the billing agency, with regard to the bill that it just sent yesterday:

    Dear Medical Financial Solutions (and one uses the modifier “dear” rather loosely here):

    I am Linda’s husband. And I am somewhere between angry and utterly outraged.

    It is really not quite clear to me whether you (1) really want the $50.55; or (2) simply wish to harass my wife.

    If the former, you might wish to file with her medigap policy (Medico); it will pay the entire balance. (It pays 100 percent of the 20 percent that Medicare typically leaves unpaid).

    If the latter, you might wish to obtain the services of a collection agency. I understand that they are simply excellent at the art of harassment.

    Either way, she simply does not plan to pay this. Not this week. Not next week. Not next month. And not ever.

    Oh, and the same goes for any future services that she might acquire from St. Thomas Hospital.

    Again, if you really desire your money, you may file with her medigap policy. That is precisely what it is for.

    -Phillip R. Johnston
    Last edited by pjohns; 10-14-2020 at 03:44 PM.

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    Well, my wife got a letter from these people again, today.

    I suggested that she simply place it in File 13 (that would be the circular one--on the floor).

    She did so.

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    Quote Originally Posted by pjohns View Post
    I truly wish that they would. In fact, I very much wish it.

    The only problem that I can see is that it would make the debt collector appear ridiculous (which I have no desire to do).
    What it ultimately does, is tarnish your credit. It will eventually work out. These bills are generated automatically by a third party billing company. Sometimes it takes time to get the idiots to understand the problem.

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    Ma60 (10-31-2020)

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    Quote Originally Posted by pjohns View Post
    This is probably true.

    But I am angry--no, thoroughly enraged--over it, even more than I am tired of it.

    And I very much believe in fighting back--not merely caving in.
    After a rather expensive accident a few years ago, my full time job was to sift through the plethora of bills that I was getting. Thanks to ACA, my max OOP was met and I was no longer on the hook for any future billing.


    That didn't stop third party billers from continuing to send me bills. It did take numerous calls, and finally getting the correct human on the phone. I instructed her that what she was doing was illegal in my state. She immediately agreed, and told me to ignore the invoices while she zeros out my account.


    It shouldn't take this much effort, but sadly it does.

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    Bill grabbers..internet makes it so easy for them to declare you owe money you don't really owe.
    I ask for the billing statement that directly ask a particular debt collect to present.
    First, it must include a delegation of authority from the main complainant ie, hospital to a specific debt collector.
    Secondly, they cannot charge interest rates unless it has gone to court.
    Lastly, if they are a third party interloper, bill grabber, then you can take them to court and demand the above. And do it in small claims.
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    Update: My wife spoke with the billing company today, by telephone. It appears that her secondary (Medico) did not pick up what Medicare did not pay, as "unnecessary" services.

    And that is just as it should be: Medico fills in the gaps only when Medicare pays something (usually 80 percent) toward the charge.

    But the remainder, it seems to me, should just be written off (i.e. adjusted).


    In fact, that is precisely what happened when the other knee received the very same surgery, this past March.

    One wonders why it should be different this time...
    Last edited by pjohns; 10-28-2020 at 06:10 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by pjohns View Post
    Update: My wife spoke with the billing company today, by telephone. It appears that her secondary (Medico) did not pick up what Medicare did not pay, as "unnecessary" services.

    And that is just as it should be: Medico fills in the gaps only when Medicare pays something (usually 80 percent) toward the charge.

    But the remainder, it seems to me, should just be written off (i.e. adjusted).


    In fact, that is precisely what happened when the other knee received the very same surgery, this past March.

    One wonders why it should be different this time...
    So the issue is an 'unnecessary' procedure? That doesn't sound quite right here. It's not like she had a plastic surgeon to cover the scars.

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    Quote Originally Posted by pjohns View Post
    Update: My wife spoke with the billing company today, by telephone. It appears that her secondary (Medico) did not pick up what Medicare did not pay, as "unnecessary" services.

    And that is just as it should be: Medico fills in the gaps only when Medicare pays something (usually 80 percent) toward the charge.

    But the remainder, it seems to me, should just be written off (i.e. adjusted).


    In fact, that is precisely what happened when the other knee received the very same surgery, this past March.

    One wonders why it should be different this time...
    1) You owe the money
    2) If you wait them out then they may write it off
    3) They may also sell it and you will be bothered by third parties for years but the effort will depend on how much money they can get selling the debt. For medical bills the collection agencies will only pay a small percentage. They will check you out to see if you have value to go after or if yu were the one that took the supervisors parking space.

    They may be able to get a lien against property. That means you will not be able to sell your house or your kids will have to pay the bill.


    My wife ran the credits and collections dept of a large hospital in New England.

    They do look to see if you cannot pay or if you just do not want to pay. If she had a woman with MS who could not pay the medical bill then it was written off after sending out numerous letters. If they had something closer to 10 grand (1990s) and they were not poor then they would generally pursue it. Many times the bill was paid in a partial amount that was negotiated.

    Why will they harass you? They have to.
    They cannot write off the losses without showing that the actually go after the bad debt and for a reasonable amount of time. The IRS will also not let them write it off until the time has passed and until then it will be kept in receivables and then moved to doubtful accounts.
    You won't know how serious they are, because they they will send you the same statements and threats regardless of who you are and they cannot slip in a note that says you do not really have to pay attention to this.

    I had an aunt that got in trouble with QVC and her credit card company while living in a nursing home. She ran out of money to pay them but got every color shirt like they told her to. The credit card company (Discover) sued her, she ignored them and they put a judgement against her for only about $4500. As soon as her Death Certificate was posted, they started to go after the estate.

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