Medical Billing Error - being sent to collections

[mom428]

What is the name of your state? IN

We have a medical billing nightmare. My husband rec’d a bill for a hospital service for a child named very similar to his child, the first names are the same but the last names are simply one letter different.

We have written letters and spoke to several billing dept reps at the hospital who confirmed the actual patient and my stepson records were mistakenly crossed. They said it was a simple computer error where someone selected the wrong Guarantor out of the computer system. They said they had resolved the error and we should receive no further bills at our address.

The next month the bill was sent to my husband’s former residence where he lived with his ex-wife years ago, still addressed to my husband, but an old address. I called back, they promised to have it resolved and send us a confirmation letter stating that fact… never received it

This month, my husband receives a final notice - addressed to the former residence, that states he will be turned over to collection if full payment is not rec’d in full by the 12th of this month.

It’s becoming quite clear this hospital billing department is not capable of fixing this error…and we are not paying so….

Should we fight everyday and camp out at their office until the 12th or simply let them turn us over to collection? I've never been turned over the a collection agency...so I don't know how that process works... I would assume they find the correct person to collect from?

[longsally111]

I hope that you have kept a running sheet with the names of every person you have spoken to and what they said and on what dates. I would not speak to anyone on the phone at this time. I would march down to the hospital, tell them what occurred and on what dates and with whom( lets them know you have been keeping track). This is their mistake, not yours. Tell them that if they turn this over to collections and you recieve a call from anyone and it goes on your credit, you will file suit against them. Tell them that they cannot just bill people for anything and that they have been making you have undue stress and you want it fixed immediately. Be loud and prepared but also expect that they cannot find their own butts with a flashlight and things will continue so get ready to file against the hospital.

[Ladynred]

I would assume they find the correct person to collect from?

When pigs fly !!! Don't assume ANYTHING ! Since they are billing the WRONG person still, they will just turn over the erroneous information to the collection agency !

STOP CALLING THEM !! Get your tucas down to this hospital's billing office and camp there until you get this resolved ! You simply can NOT just leave this to clerks and phone calls as you have done so far. Their 'assurances' are worthless, that is blatantly clear. If you can't get any satisfaction from the billing office, head for the hospital administrator's office and don't leave until you get some resolution. Suing them would not be uncalled for if they refuse to fix this and you are turned over to collections.