health insurance fraud?

[bluemoon222]

Pennsylvania
I am 21 yrs old to my knowledge i have had health insurance since high school, one that i didnt need to pay for at all, i believed i was still covered because i am in college. i recenty got a bill for an emergency room visit a year ago saying i was not covered by my insurance (independence blue cross) I called and they told me i havent been insured since i turned 18. I was never notified of this, to make matters worse every august they sent me a new insurance card which i used and it worked. I have been using this card all these years, always been approved at one point a year after my 18th b-day i called to ask about which prescriptions they covered even got them to cover my birth control by having a letter sent to them from my doctor. At no point did anyone notify me that i wasnt covered, when i called with quetions they always took my social and checked their system and never mentioned it. Now i got a bill and i'm terrified that i will be accused of insurance fraud and be made to pay the services i used. I dont know what to do, am i going to be held responsible for this?

 

[cbg]

You are always ultimately responsible for any bills you incur, regardless of whether you have insurance or not.

Was the insurance you believed you were on in your name? Your parents' name? Private insurance? Through your/their employment? It makes a difference.

 

[purple2]

i will be accused of insurance fraud and be made to pay the services i used.

You will not be accused of insurance fraud.

You will have to pay the bill if you did not have insurance coverage.

Are you assuming your coverage was through your parents' insurance policy? Then the answer is simple. Check your parents' insurance policy to see what it says about coverage for people in your situation. Ask your parents what they can tell you about your coverage being current--are the premiums being paid? If all that indicates your coverage should still be active, have your parents' ask their Human Resources rep straighten out the coverage issue with the insurance company. Then call the hospital's billing office, tell them it was straightened out, and ask them to rebill the insurer.

Again, if it turns out your coverage was not active due to cancellation or nonpayment of premiums, you must pay the hospital bill.

Do all of this ASAP. You will incur late charges and interest on your bill for the entire time you don't pay, and it will affect your credit rating. Do not delay.