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Lawyers refusing money? First time in history!

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Anonymous
Not applicable

Lawyers refusing money? First time in history!

I had to be rushed to the ER in late 2016, after falling ill and a medical billing company in S. Florida billed an insurance comapny I didn't have, nor ever told them, nor gave them the impression that I have. They also never contatced me, even though they claim they sent out numerous letters, only to find out they sent said letter with my street address to the wrong city, because they, for some reason thought I lived in a city 40 miles away and then they waited too long to file a claim with my legitmate insurance company and sadly, almost three years later they put this on my credit report.

 

Well, I was upset after I noticed this on my credit and after getting the run around, I actually found out who they were. My insurance company via three-way validated that I was cover in 2016 and I'm covered now, but because they filed a claim with the wrong insurance company and it's been three years, they can file a claim with them, but they aren't going to pay it, due the time-lapse.

 

A supervisor from my insurance company told a very rude manager at the medical billing company that and also made her aware that she, and the collection agencies they wer using were violating the Florida "No Billing Law," which forbids medical billing companies from coming after the patient, regardless of the reason for default. She aslo stated that they had to cancel this debt and remove it from all three of my credit reports!

 explaing thisSo, this is what this callous medical billing company manager did and is currently doing, she removed it from one colloection agency only to send it to another a day or two later, who within a couple of weeks, guess what? Reported it to all three credit bureaus!

 

I just got a letter (they actually sent it to the correct address this time) from now, the sixth collection agency in a year and a half.

 

So, I emailed about forty lawyers, xplaining this, getting a call back from less than seven and 100% of those seven telling me, "Sorry, we handle bankruptcy and caouldn't elp me, ntil i filed bankruptcy, which I will never do!

 

I'm lost, I find myself forcing the three credit bureaus to remove this company every couple of month, only for it to pop up yet again.

 

Experian seems to be the only one who have stopped her from reporting repearedly, Transunion and Equifax just tell me to dispute it, over and over again.

 

A supervisor at Equifax stated, "Yea, i feel your pain, but this is what these medical billing companies do."

 

Then, she suggested I contact a lawyer!

 

This is too funny, not really, just amazed that I can't hire a lawyer to even send her a cease and desist  letter, someone told me worked for him and the lawyer only charged him $50 bucks.

 

I don't know what to do, if i can't even get lawyers to take my money and defend me against these antics.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks in advance.

Message 1 of 10
9 REPLIES 9
Brian_Earl_Spilner
Credit Mentor

Re: Lawyers refusing money? First time in history!

Contact a consumer protection attorney or one that specializes in medical related lawsuits.

    
Message 2 of 10
FireMedic1
Community Leader
Mega Contributor

Re: Lawyers refusing money? First time in history!


@Anonymous wrote:

I had to be rushed to the ER in late 2016, after falling ill and a medical billing company in S. Florida billed an insurance comapny I didn't have, nor ever told them, nor gave them the impression that I have. They also never contatced me, even though they claim they sent out numerous letters, only to find out they sent said letter with my street address to the wrong city, because they, for some reason thought I lived in a city 40 miles away and then they waited too long to file a claim with my legitmate insurance company and sadly, almost three years later they put this on my credit report.

 

Well, I was upset after I noticed this on my credit and after getting the run around, I actually found out who they were. My insurance company via three-way validated that I was cover in 2016 and I'm covered now, but because they filed a claim with the wrong insurance company and it's been three years, they can file a claim with them, but they aren't going to pay it, due the time-lapse.

 

A supervisor from my insurance company told a very rude manager at the medical billing company that and also made her aware that she, and the collection agencies they wer using were violating the Florida "No Billing Law," which forbids medical billing companies from coming after the patient, regardless of the reason for default. She aslo stated that they had to cancel this debt and remove it from all three of my credit reports!

 explaing thisSo, this is what this callous medical billing company manager did and is currently doing, she removed it from one colloection agency only to send it to another a day or two later, who within a couple of weeks, guess what? Reported it to all three credit bureaus!

 

I just got a letter (they actually sent it to the correct address this time) from now, the sixth collection agency in a year and a half.

 

So, I emailed about forty lawyers, xplaining this, getting a call back from less than seven and 100% of those seven telling me, "Sorry, we handle bankruptcy and caouldn't elp me, ntil i filed bankruptcy, which I will never do!

 

I'm lost, I find myself forcing the three credit bureaus to remove this company every couple of month, only for it to pop up yet again.

 

Experian seems to be the only one who have stopped her from reporting repearedly, Transunion and Equifax just tell me to dispute it, over and over again.

 

A supervisor at Equifax stated, "Yea, i feel your pain, but this is what these medical billing companies do."

 

Then, she suggested I contact a lawyer!

 

This is too funny, not really, just amazed that I can't hire a lawyer to even send her a cease and desist  letter, someone told me worked for him and the lawyer only charged him $50 bucks.

 

I don't know what to do, if i can't even get lawyers to take my money and defend me against these antics.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks in advance.


If you were a patient before at the same hospital. Even as little as getting an xray, not just ER visits. They kept your previous info and insurance company in their system. Then probably billed them. Then as you say the info wasnt correct, you moved, and so on. Registration always comes in the room to update your info so they can be paid. They dont wing it. It would be a major ACHA violation. Now if you had insurance when it comes to Florida law. It states:

House Bill 221prohibits out-of-network providers from “balance billing,”the practice of billing a patient for the amount the patient’s insurance company did not reimburse the provider. The legislation passed the Senate 39–0 and the House 118–1 on March 11 and will take effect on July 1.

The new law also requires hospitals to list on their websites all health insurers and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) with which the hospital contracts as a network provider. Similarly, insurers must post online and update monthly the contact information for each health care provider in their networks.

Hospitals must also post online a statement advising patients to contact individual health care practitioners to determine their network affiliation, because practitioners do not necessarily participate in the same insurance or HMO network as the hospital where they provide care.

 

The collection agency is playing games yes. If you didnt have insurance. Then you are considered self pay. All hospital ER's offer some type of program to pay your bills. Some will take 25% of the bill if you PIF before your discharged. Question comes down to. Did you have insurance and did you hand them your card when they came into the room.


Message 3 of 10
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Lawyers refusing money? First time in history!

I appreciate your response, and without a shadow of doubt I had insurance then and currently maintain the same insurance company, never interrupted service.

 

That was my first time going to the hospial since I separated from the Navy 14 years and it was the first time I had ever been to this particluar hospital, one of two in my home town.

 

I can't stressed how many times my insurance company has spoken to this medical billing manager, who is simply being contrite.

 

The law you listed is different from what was explained to me and this medical billing company via a supervisor at my insurance company.

 

 

On another forum, outside of MyFico, it was suggested that i take my bill, my insurance info', the trnscript of my calls with this medical billing company, any proof that my insurance company validated that I had insurance and that they explained via recorded calls the Florida "No Billing" Law and their numerous attempts to explain to this medical billing company manager, that it's their fault they file a claim with the wrong insurance, and then fail to apply for the correct insurance in time and take all that down to my State's inspector General's office and file a complaint and they will take it from there and more than likely in a matter of days after tht office do their thing, this medical billing company will be done harrassing me.

 

p.s. The Florida "No Billing" Law that was explained to me, stated that the patient can't be held liable for "ANY" medical bills, not just unpaid balances from the insurance company, just as long as they were insured at the time, of which I WAS!

 

Again, she is simply being contrite, the problem for her and her medical billing company is each and everytime they pull this collection back from a collection agency and send it to another days later, they leave a paper trail of harrassment, so I'm just collecting the rope that she is using to hang herself and her company(that i doubt they have any idea that she is doing this).

 

Message 4 of 10
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Lawyers refusing money? First time in history!

A couple of lawyers who called me back expressed that and I sent consumer protection attourney the same emails and when i tell you I obtained zero responses, I recieved zero repsones.

 

I'm thinking because the bill is only a $2000, that many don't believe it's worth their time and effort.

 

Someone told me they had a lawyer send a cease & desist letter with on its letterhead for $50 and that was enough to scare the medical billing company away.

 

Sadly, i can't even find a lawyer to do that!

 

Thanks for your response.

Message 5 of 10
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Lawyers refusing money? First time in history!

You might want to look into a CFPB complaint - upload all of your documentation, lay out the timeline of events, and let them do their thing. It sounds like a case for which they exist to handle.
Message 6 of 10
FireMedic1
Community Leader
Mega Contributor

Re: Lawyers refusing money? First time in history!

**this. You could go back to the original hospital with all you have and go right to the Admin's office. Hospitals write off a ton of debt from patient complaints. Been working ER's for 35 yrs part time and still do. Ask for the COO or even the CEO.


Message 7 of 10
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Lawyers refusing money? First time in history!

After getting the run around and being told that medical billings is handled off-property, I just spend my time making phones, getting a copy of my bill and after everything else failed, I did exactly what you stated, I went back to the hospital I was seen at and went to the Admins office and spoke with someone who gave me the impression that she maintained some clout and she brought up my bill and explained that five different entities were part of my bill and each billed separately and four of the five entities filed with my actual insurance company and she didn't know, nor understood why the portion of my bill in queston that covers the "Doctors," was bill incorrectly.

 

Now, I walked up, without an appointment in the middle of the morning, so I appreciated the time that she gave me and didn't want to over-stay my welcome, but she advised me that she's going to send an internal email to the supervisor of the manager at the medical billing company.

 

Being that I 've been hospitalized twice in my 48 years, the first time since I wrecked my bike at 15 years olds, i was naive and foolishly thought that a hospital bill was "ONE" bill, not knowing that it was billed separately by different entitis!

 

This medical billing company has two location here in Florida, one in wet Florida and one near the Miami area, once I find out which location is their corporate office, I'm going to take all documents I have(the one and only collection letter I recieved last week, copies of my credit reort, when they have reported and pulled and reported it to numerous collection agencies, as well as the copy of the Florida "No Billing" law, that my insurance company is going to mail to me) take all that dowm to my local Florida Inspector General and file a complaint. I am also going to try find a lawyer to write up a cease & desist letter using their letterhead. Many people have stated that alone has forced medical billing companies, as well as colllection agencies and the credit bureaus to take immediate action.

 

Thanks so much for you input.

Message 8 of 10
FireMedic1
Community Leader
Mega Contributor

Re: Lawyers refusing money? First time in history!

I always advised to go face to face with anyone you can. Sounds like a good plan. The hospitals pay those so and so's. I wish you the best of luck and it seems you headed in the right direction. Sucks it happened and the run around you have to do to, to get this done and over with. Good Luck! Keep us updated. It also may help others who suffer the same crap-o-la!


Message 9 of 10
RobertEG
Legendary Contributor

Re: Lawyers refusing money? First time in history!

If a party reporting information to a CRA has updated reported information so as to reflect its current accuracy, it is thereafter a violation of both FCRA 623(a)(1) and FCRA 623(a)(2) to thereafter re-report that incorrect information to a CRA.

 

FCRA 623(a)(1) makes it a violation to report any information that is knowingly inaccurate, and FCRA 623(a)(2) amplifies upon that by specifying that it is a violation to report information that was updated to overcome an inaccuracy by therafter re-reporting that inaccurate information.

 

 

Message 10 of 10
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