Medical bill

[cmehappy]

In June of 2000, I had a Medical Test, CYBEX Test, in which the Clinic was not honest and led me to believe that my insurance would pay for it. I did not receive any kind of correspondence until late Oct. 2000 in which a check was sent to me with some Dr.'s name on it...no clinic, just a Dr. I didn't recognize. I had had many different test and things done for my knee reconstruction in that year that I figured it had to be some kind of overpayment I had made. I thought nothing of it and cashed it. In January 2001 I received a Collection Notice for over $700 dollars with no explanation. I called and it seemed that this clinic charged me late fees and interest on a $400 dollars Cybex test...but the problem was there records stated I was 18 months past due. I even called the Accountant and she stated that I talked to her on the phone back in July 1999 and refused to pay the bill. Funny thing, I told her, I didn't have the test until June 2000! She hung up. I wrote letters to the Attorney General and Better Business Bureau with my complaints. They got a response from the Dr. that owned the Clinic stating the same thing. They had falsified their records. I got the Medical test authorization from my insurance company and forwarded it to him when he changed his tune and backed up. He then insisted I owed him interest from June 2000 because I didn't pay him that check I received. I told him I was never billed so I had no idea who he was. I had never heard his name or had any billing or appt. card with his name on it. I told him I would only pay what the original bill was and no more due to his lack of any bill being sent to me. He didn't agree and has now kept this medical bill on my credit as bad debt even though I paid the $462 dollars 20 days after I first found out of the outstanding debt. How do I get this off my record. I have already written the letters and since he is a Dr. it seems the doubt goes towards me even though I have written proof and I have tried to pay what I owed. The fact is: he never billed me...not once. His accountant lied and said she talked to me in 1999, even though the test was performed in June 2000...it is obvious they lied, yet no one will listen and reverse this bad debt on my credit report. I paid what I owed! What do I do?

 

[gottago]

1) Send the doctor a certified, return receipt letter. In it, demand that he correct the problem immediately. Inform him that he is in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, and that you will sue him in small claims court for violating those Acts if he does not correct the problem immediately. Give him 30 days to contact you to resolve the problem.

If he doesn't respond within 30 days, file a small claims lawsuit in your county court. Sue the doctor for violation of the above Acts, and ask for $1,000 in damages.

He'll probably respond to the certified letter. If not, he'll be forced to face you in court to resolve the matter. He's going to look like a complete fool in court if you have proof of what you've told us, so you should be able to at least reach an agreement in court mediation before it goes to trial.

Make sure you document everything, make copies, etc. Keep the return receipt from the letter you mail him...you'll need it in court.