Getting correspondence from a collection agency sounds (and is) scary, but getting a medical collection notice does not always mean you need to pay up. Mistakes happen, and there is a process for clearing up bills that you don’t owe.

1.    Validate the debt with the provider. Make sure that this bill was for services actually rendered. You should call the provider, not the debt collector. Do not make a payment or partial payment until you are sure!

2.    Validate the claim. Confirm with your insurance company (or with Medicare) that the claim was processed correctly.  Was the claim billed to your insurance company first, and did they deny it? Or is the amount a copay from a processed claim?

3.    Resubmit the claim if an error was made. Many denied claims happen due to coding or clerical errors and can be resubmitted.

4.    If you feel the claim was improperly denied, dispute the claim with an appeal to either Medicare (follow the appeal instructions on the Medicare Summary Notice) or the insurance company.

5.    Notify the debt collector that the claim is being disputed (or resubmitted).

6.    If the result of the research confirms that you do owe the money:

• If the debt is from a non-profit hospital or provider, see if you qualify to have the debt cancelled.
• If the debt cannot be cancelled, try to negotiate with the collector.

Mistakes can and do happen in billing, and you need to confirm that you owe the money before paying. Debt collectors cannot harass you, threaten you, or call you before 8AM or after 9PM. They cannot pursue debts already paid or covered by Medicare.

Resources:

www.SHIPHelp.org can help locate Medicare counseling.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau www.consumerfinance.gov

State Attorney General Consumer Protection Hotline: 800-621-0508

 

Before paying toward this debt, confirm both its legitimacy and that it was properly billed through insurance. Keep a log of your correspondence and communications and be patient.

 

 

Disclaimer: 
This page provides information and links to not-for-profit external websites that we believe may be of interest to our membership and is made available as a public service. COAERS is not responsible for the content or the security of such sites nor any damage to those accessing these sites or damage caused by the use of the products and services provided by these resources.  Resources have been chosen according to our Social Media policy and for the purpose of providing useful, relevant, information avoiding for-profit entities, political organizations, organized labor organizations, and individuals or entities soliciting money or donations.