What's going on with this ER Bill?

[southerngent84]

In late August, I unfortunately had to be taken to the Emergency Room. I just started a new job and was uninsured. I received a bill statement from a company called Swift Emergency Physicians, dated 9-22-18. They stated my amount owed ($1,700) and that payment was due by 10-12-18, but to inform them if it couldnt be paid in full. I contacted them and was told I would, at minimum, have to pay $25 a month. I paid them $25 through their website from my debit card. The website claimed they sent a receipt to my e-mail. They never did, and I considered that my first red flag with them, but I took a screen shot of my payment. I like to have structure and concrete understandings, so I was under the impression that this is how it would be until it was paid off.

Well, I received a letter dated 10-11-18 from an office of collection called Dynamic Recovery Solutions. Dynamic says their client, Pendrick Capital Partners LLC, had purchased my account from Swift Emergency Physicians, but since Pendrick hadnt received payment from me, my account was placed with their office of collection.

In my mind, I'm thinking, how did all this happen so fast when my very first bill statement from Swift wasnt due until 10-12-18, and I had actually paid! How can they say they havent received payment from me when I've never even heard from them?

Another strange thing (at least to me). The amount Pendrick said I owed them is $433 (much lower than the $1,700 in the statement from Swift) but since the letter from Dynamic says Swift sold my account to Pendrick, I figured that I was done with Swift.

Dynamic told me that for a one time payment of $129 before November 25th, the account would be considered closed and satisfied. This was even lower than the $433 their "client" Pendrick said I owe. So, I was prepared just to pay them the $129 and have this all over and done with.

However today, 10-27-18, I received ANOTHER letter from Swift saying I still owe them $1,335 and my next payment is due on 11-24-18.

Is something fishy going on here? I was fully prepared to pay them $25 monthly, but how can this company (Swiift) still contact me if a collection agency (Dynamic) has told me they sold my account to some other company (Pendrick)? Am I legally obligated to still pay Swift even though they sold my account? That doesnt sound right, and why are all these amounts that owe different?

Something doesnt seem right. If Swift sold my account to Pendrick and Pendrick had Dymanic contact me, and Dynamic says they will consider the account "closed and satisfied" if they receive the $129 by November 25th, then I'll do that, but I didnt want to pay them then have Swift and/or Pendrick still contact me again about owing them on my account that they both supposedly placed in the hands of this collection office.

Again, this isnt about "beating the system" because I was fully prepared to pay off the original debt with Swift with monthly payments, but not with all this mess about how they sold my account then having others saying I owe them too, especially after I made the first month's payment it makes no sense.

 

[FlyingRon]

What makes you think you have any right to make "monthly payments" of a trivial amount. It sounds like (if they are willing to agree this settles the entire debt) that $129 (plus the $25 you paid already) is more than gracious.

You should confirm with the original provider that they indeed transferred the account to collections, but otherwise you're at the mercy of the collections agency.

Note that this isn't likely to be the only bill in question. Typically you'll get a bill from the hospital in addition to the physicians' group and possibly things like radiology, etc... if you had X-rays or whatever.

 

[southerngent84]

What makes you think you have any right to make "monthly payments" of a trivial amount. It sounds like (if they are willing to agree this settles the entire debt) that $129 (plus the $25 you paid already) is more than gracious.

You should confirm with the original provider that they indeed transferred the account to collections, but otherwise you're at the mercy of the collections agency.

Note that this isn't likely to be the only bill in question. Typically you'll get a bill from the hospital in addition to the physicians' group and possibly things like radiology, etc... if you had X-rays or whatever.

What makes me think I have the right to make monthly payments? I stated the company told me I could. Also, I'm aware there could be other bills, but I'm talking about this one bill.

My problem is not with the Collection Agency. They said the original provider sold the account to another company, who then put it in their hands.. My question is, why is the original provider still sending me a bill for the same account they supposedly sold? This is indirect and doesnt add up. I'm wondering how this is legal? I'm not even saying I deserve such a generous settlement offer from the collection agency. If the account will be "closed and satisfied" as their statement says, I'll gladly take that offer. I was willing to pay off the entire $1,700 bill that the original company (Swift) sent me. If that's what I owed, that's what I owed, but if they supposedly sold the account, how can I owe them for an account they supposedly arent handling any more? If I pay the collection agency and what they said about the account being considered settled is true, I dont know how the original provider can claim I still owe on an account that was supposedly already sold by them and "settled."

If I have a debt, I have no problem paying. However, if I'm going to pay out my earned money, I think I have a right to know if that money is going towards whatever said debt may be.