Medical bill

What is the name of your state? Texas

I was in the hospital a total of 6 times last year. 5 of them being in the first 3 months. I could no longer erform the duties required of me so I had to seek othr employment which also included a decrease in wages. after my insurance paid their share my accrued amount was some where around $23,000. I explained to the hospital taht I could not give them a one time payment and they suggested I make arrangements for a loan at what ever institution i choose because they did not want to make payments. I told them that was not an option and couldn't they see their way to allow me to make payments of &25.00 a month and perhaps even more on some months when money was available. Their answer was no. They then sent me to an agency Medical Debt Management Inc. I recieved a letter from them that I neede to contact them immediately to resolve this matter. When I called, I was transferre to this woman who informed me as to the amount I owed. I told her as I had told the hospital thatI did not have $23,000 on hand to pay it off in one lump some. She then was very rude and asked me how much I had paid the hospital. I told her they had refused to allow me to pay them on a monthly basis. She then told me that just goes to prvoe that I was not willing to work withthe hospital for payment. I told her no that meant that they would not allow me to make payments. She then asked me how much I would be willing to pay on monthly payments. I then told her I could pay $25.00 per month and perhaps more on months when money was available. She then said fine we will set it up to take automatic draws from my checking account in order pay monthly. I told her no I did not want to set up monthly automatic draws from my checking account. She then began to yell at me and tell me I was not willing to work them either. I told her no but that I would make monthly payments to them. She just kept yelling at me that I was not willing to work with them. I told hr no that theirhad to other arrangements made as I would not authorize automatice draws. Again she yelled about me not beig willing to work with them. I told her I did not appreciate being yelled at and she said that what she told me was the wy they would work it or they would have to take the next step. She never explained to me what the next step was so I told her then you have to do what you have to do. My question is did she have the rightto demand that I allow an automatic draw on my checking account and no other recourse? I don't know whether tis company bought out my contract or what. If I send a payment to the hospital and they accept it, ti legal. All I have is an 800 number to call for this debt management company. thank you in advance.

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

Either you're an idiot, or you're mentally retarded - - take your pick.

At the rate of payment you're suggesting; e.g. $25.00/mo., and not including interest, it would take 77 YEARS to pay off your $23,000.00 debt.

Who are you kidding?

And yes, you deserved this response just as it's written.

File Bankruptcy!

IAAL

I am not an idiot nor am I mentally retarded. You sound like some of the people I have been talking to. I feel my insurance paid the hospital more than Medicaid ever thought about paying. They could have offered me a settlement but they chose not to do so. When asked what medicaid would pay, for a patient coming in and having the exact diagnosis and treatment, they had no answer. Why should us working stiffs have to make up the difference? My point was they did not want to work with me.

[Ladynred]

The chances are that this 'debt management' company is nothing but a collection agency that does nothing but medical collections. Hospitals won't wait too long to be paid and sell to collection agencies quickly.

The fact that the witch was YELLING at you tells me she's a collection agency harpy and nothing more. Their standard answer to anything you say that is not 'I'll pay it all right now ' is 'you won't work with us' or ' I'm putting this down as failure to pay'. Its ploy, but the witches screaming is against the law ! Verbal abuse is a violation of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) and they have no right to do that and a whole lot of other things.

If there's no way you can pay more than $25/mo, you're going to get sued before too long for that amount of money. IAAL is right, it would take far too long to pay and they don't want to wait that long.

In this case, and in your situation, bankruptcy may be the most viable option for you. Consider talking to a couple of BK lawyers..and soon.