@joeyh2007 wrote:I only went to the UCF once. I was going to go a second time but never went when they told me how much it would cost right after I was there 3 days prior. So there was only one charge, i disputed it with Amex and won, and now the UCF is coming after me trying to collect.
This is a tough one, since I know how it will likely turn out, but I don't like my own answer. 
From my past experience with a period of being uninsured myself I can say that they will likely continue to pursue the $150... they aren't concerned with the dispute, only that they weren't paid. To them, it's similar to if you had paid by check, then stopped-payment or the check had bounced (I'm not saying I agree, just that that's how it will be viewed by them).
Since you did see them for a visit and technically "services were rendered" they are likely going to insist that they are due payment regardless of your opinion of the service you received. Due to the relatively low dollar amount they might not pursue it vigorously, but it could be reported to the credit bureaus.
Once years ago I had a $25 doc-in-the-box bill report to the bureaus; come to find I didn't even owe the money (it was an insurance write-off they missed). When I called about it the office manager apologized and told me it was under their threshold for collections anyway (I think at that time the office manager told me only $100+ went to collections) but I had to go through the formalities of having it removed anyway.
Depending on how much you believe it would impact your finances it might be worth paying it since it's a relatively small amount... I personally woudn't want to take a hit on my credit for $150, but of course you'll have to determine if it's worth it to you. You could check with an attorney, but again due to the low dollar amount it's likely the attorney fees will be more than $150 anyway.
Good luck whatever you decide! 
@UncleB wrote:
@joeyh2007 wrote:I only went to the UCF once. I was going to go a second time but never went when they told me how much it would cost right after I was there 3 days prior. So there was only one charge, i disputed it with Amex and won, and now the UCF is coming after me trying to collect.
This is a tough one, since I know how it will likely turn out, but I don't like my own answer.
From my past experience with a period of being uninsured myself I can say that they will likely continue to pursue the $150... they aren't concerned with the dispute, only that they weren't paid. To them, it's similar to if you had paid by check, then stopped-payment or the check had bounced (I'm not saying I agree, just that that's how it will be viewed by them).
Since you did see them for a visit and technically "services were rendered" they are likely going to insist that they are due payment regardless of your opinion of the service you received. Due to the relatively low dollar amount they might not pursue it vigorously, but it could be reported to the credit bureaus.
Once years ago I had a $25 doc-in-the-box bill report to the bureaus; come to find I didn't even owe the money (it was an insurance write-off they missed). When I called about it the office manager apologized and told me it was under their threshold for collections anyway (I think at that time the office manager told me only $100+ went to collections) but I had to go through the formalities of having it removed anyway.
Depending on how much you believe it would impact your finances it might be worth paying it since it's a relatively small amount... I personally woudn't want to take a hit on my credit for $150, but of course you'll have to determine if it's worth it to you. You could check with an attorney, but again due to the low dollar amount it's likely the attorney fees will be more than $150 anyway.
Good luck whatever you decide!
UncleB, the difference here is that in most states, bouncing the check is a crime, as is stopping payment (theft of services)..
@fltireguy wrote:
@UncleB wrote:
@joeyh2007 wrote:I only went to the UCF once. I was going to go a second time but never went when they told me how much it would cost right after I was there 3 days prior. So there was only one charge, i disputed it with Amex and won, and now the UCF is coming after me trying to collect.
This is a tough one, since I know how it will likely turn out, but I don't like my own answer.
From my past experience with a period of being uninsured myself I can say that they will likely continue to pursue the $150... they aren't concerned with the dispute, only that they weren't paid. To them, it's similar to if you had paid by check, then stopped-payment or the check had bounced (I'm not saying I agree, just that that's how it will be viewed by them).
Since you did see them for a visit and technically "services were rendered" they are likely going to insist that they are due payment regardless of your opinion of the service you received. Due to the relatively low dollar amount they might not pursue it vigorously, but it could be reported to the credit bureaus.
Once years ago I had a $25 doc-in-the-box bill report to the bureaus; come to find I didn't even owe the money (it was an insurance write-off they missed). When I called about it the office manager apologized and told me it was under their threshold for collections anyway (I think at that time the office manager told me only $100+ went to collections) but I had to go through the formalities of having it removed anyway.
Depending on how much you believe it would impact your finances it might be worth paying it since it's a relatively small amount... I personally woudn't want to take a hit on my credit for $150, but of course you'll have to determine if it's worth it to you. You could check with an attorney, but again due to the low dollar amount it's likely the attorney fees will be more than $150 anyway.
Good luck whatever you decide!
UncleB, the difference here is that in most states, bouncing the check is a crime, as is stopping payment (theft of services)..
I agree completely - I only connected the two ideas since in each case the result is the same; i.e. something for nothing, notwithstanding of if you are pleased with the outcome or not, as in this situation.
I also agree that writing a bad check is a criminal matter, while reversing a charge is generally a civil matter (as your example demonstrates). Legally that's an important difference, but ethically (to me) they are similar, at least in this situation.
On here I tend to avoid issues of ethics, since that's often subjective, but in this case my primary point was that happy or not services were rendered, and the bill doesn't just 'disappear' because you're not pleased. Since this case involves services and not merchandise there's nothing to 'return', however I would hope that the provider would be willing to work with the OP to come to a mutually acceptable solution. It might be less than full payment, but I do think it's a stretch to think that no payment should be acceptable to the provider, which is effectively what the chargeback did.
I'm genuinely sorry for the OP that things didn't work out - that's not a question - and that's why I stated I didn't like my own answer. Factually, though - and in agreement with you - I feel he'll be fighting an uphill battle with this. The OP would likely be better off to pay the bill, and write this one off as a 'learning experience'. If it were me, I would use it as motivation to better research service providers (medical or otherwise) in the future.
Just my 2¢.