I just can't fathom how we as a country can make any claim to being the "best country in the world" while people can lose everything they worked toward for years simply because of a medical issue...
Unpaid medical bills are a leading cause of personal debt and bankruptcy, with hospitals from Memphis to Baltimore criticized for their role in pushing families over the financial edge.
I just can't fathom how we as a country can make any claim to being the "best country in the world" while people can lose everything they worked toward for years simply because of a medical issue that they have absolutely no control over.
A few years ago, I had to have jaw surgery. I tried multiple times before the surgery to get a price from the hospitals and doctors for how much it would be, but they flat out refused. They told me they didn't know how much they would charge until after the insurance company told the hospital how much they would get from the insurance company.
I had to go in blind and just hope that I could afford whatever the result was. I ended up having to make a payment arrangement with the hospital to pay $100 per month until it was paid off or they would send me to collections and ruin my credit. Luckily it was only $1,700 that I was responsible for (the surgery ended up being $10,000 total). But it took me a year and a half to pay it off. Luckily, I was able to cut out a few things to afford the payments, but for a whole lot of people, $100 isn't something they can afford.
A year and a half ago, my wife broke her skull in a freak accident. Apparently one of the companies wrote our address wrong and so we never received a couple different medical bills. One was only...
A year and a half ago, my wife broke her skull in a freak accident. Apparently one of the companies wrote our address wrong and so we never received a couple different medical bills. One was only $250 (I would have paid in full if I ever got it) and the other was a bit over $3000. Both went to collections, because we never knew about them. My wife’s credit score tanked, but we never knew since she wasn’t looking for any credit/loans. A couple weeks ago she was denied a job because the background check came back with the 2 bills in collections. The new owed amounts are now much more due to penalties and interest. My wife had to miss a couple months of work, before only being able to go back part time due to headaches and fatigue. Now that she’s back to 90%, she’s looking for full time work again. The problem is after so long with none or part time work we can’t afford to make payments until my wife gets a new job, but she can’t get the jobs she’s qualified for until her credit issues are taken care of. It’s incredibly disheartening to have worked so hard just to have it all thrown out because of this horrible system.
You may be able to get some help by reaching out to your state's department/bureau of insurance. They are typically very consumer-focused and for something like this, it may be the best way to get...
You may be able to get some help by reaching out to your state's department/bureau of insurance. They are typically very consumer-focused and for something like this, it may be the best way to get some help on resolution without hiring a lawyer.
I'd say you should just sue them and say you'll gladly pay the original amounts, but they fucked up so they need to remove all the hits on your credit report first and then you'll pay. But a) you...
Apparently one of the companies wrote our address wrong and so we never received a couple different medical bills.
I'd say you should just sue them and say you'll gladly pay the original amounts, but they fucked up so they need to remove all the hits on your credit report first and then you'll pay.
But a) you shouldn't have to do that in the first place and b) that would just cost you more money to hire a lawyer.
I had the same issue happen. I got mugged freshman year in college and went to the ER. I fill out all my info, get checked out, and leave. I never really think about it again. 4 years later, I get...
I had the same issue happen. I got mugged freshman year in college and went to the ER. I fill out all my info, get checked out, and leave. I never really think about it again. 4 years later, I get a random ass letter from some law firm saying I need to pay my bill. Apparently, they got the zipcode wrong and had been sending all the invoices to New York. I lived in Delware, which was accurately filled out. Luckily, they didn't acrue interest on the bill and it was just $250. Still, it scared me shitless for a hot minute.
For those of you who don't read the article (shame on you), here's a snippet that I think really puts it into perspective:
For those of you who don't read the article (shame on you), here's a snippet that I think really puts it into perspective:
Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore has sued roughly 240 patients a year on average since 2009, according to a May report in the Baltimore Sun. UVA, by comparison, often sues that many former patients in a week, and averages more than 6,000 cases a year, court data show.
I just can't fathom how we as a country can make any claim to being the "best country in the world" while people can lose everything they worked toward for years simply because of a medical issue that they have absolutely no control over.
A few years ago, I had to have jaw surgery. I tried multiple times before the surgery to get a price from the hospitals and doctors for how much it would be, but they flat out refused. They told me they didn't know how much they would charge until after the insurance company told the hospital how much they would get from the insurance company.
I had to go in blind and just hope that I could afford whatever the result was. I ended up having to make a payment arrangement with the hospital to pay $100 per month until it was paid off or they would send me to collections and ruin my credit. Luckily it was only $1,700 that I was responsible for (the surgery ended up being $10,000 total). But it took me a year and a half to pay it off. Luckily, I was able to cut out a few things to afford the payments, but for a whole lot of people, $100 isn't something they can afford.
A year and a half ago, my wife broke her skull in a freak accident. Apparently one of the companies wrote our address wrong and so we never received a couple different medical bills. One was only $250 (I would have paid in full if I ever got it) and the other was a bit over $3000. Both went to collections, because we never knew about them. My wife’s credit score tanked, but we never knew since she wasn’t looking for any credit/loans. A couple weeks ago she was denied a job because the background check came back with the 2 bills in collections. The new owed amounts are now much more due to penalties and interest. My wife had to miss a couple months of work, before only being able to go back part time due to headaches and fatigue. Now that she’s back to 90%, she’s looking for full time work again. The problem is after so long with none or part time work we can’t afford to make payments until my wife gets a new job, but she can’t get the jobs she’s qualified for until her credit issues are taken care of. It’s incredibly disheartening to have worked so hard just to have it all thrown out because of this horrible system.
You may be able to get some help by reaching out to your state's department/bureau of insurance. They are typically very consumer-focused and for something like this, it may be the best way to get some help on resolution without hiring a lawyer.
Thanks for the tip. I will see if my wife and I can reach out to our state's department and clear all this up.
I'd say you should just sue them and say you'll gladly pay the original amounts, but they fucked up so they need to remove all the hits on your credit report first and then you'll pay.
But a) you shouldn't have to do that in the first place and b) that would just cost you more money to hire a lawyer.
It's a vicious cycle.
I had the same issue happen. I got mugged freshman year in college and went to the ER. I fill out all my info, get checked out, and leave. I never really think about it again. 4 years later, I get a random ass letter from some law firm saying I need to pay my bill. Apparently, they got the zipcode wrong and had been sending all the invoices to New York. I lived in Delware, which was accurately filled out. Luckily, they didn't acrue interest on the bill and it was just $250. Still, it scared me shitless for a hot minute.
For those of you who don't read the article (shame on you), here's a snippet that I think really puts it into perspective: