# Your doctor was a moron and you destroyed my credit. I hope your head explodes. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 7, 2003, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-doctor-was-a-moron-and-you-destroyed-my-credit-i-hope-your-head-explodes/193597 "2003-08-07T15:27:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-doctor-was-a-moron-and-you-destroyed-my-credit-i-hope-your-head-explodes/193597/21 "2003-08-08T00:49:43Z")
I had a similar thing happen to my wife a couple of years back. She went in for some lab tests, and blood test related to female plumbing. We got a inquiry if her injury was work related? WTF? We responded no. A month or two later, more tests, more bills. Insurance paid some, said that we were in the clear. Bills kept coming, insurance said resubmit. After a year, collection agency calls. Now I’m pissed. Get a hold of the benefits at corporate office. Send a 1" thick pile of bills, statements and whatever else. 3 weeks later I get a very detailed letter from the insurance co saying that A) They had paid what they were supposed to and B) The lab had agreements that they were supposed to discount their charges to customers of this insurance co, and they in fact had not done this. The line that I treasure in this letter was > [@](#): > > Mr. Rick has no financial responsibility in this matter. This is entirely the fault of XYZ lab. The kicker was 6 months later another collection agency calls. I had a ball when I called them back and said, let me read you a letter I have, after I read it, my comment was: Unless you got something that beats my four aces, I think I win. You might see if you can get a similar letter from your insurance co. It would look very good in your credit report. ---
**Author:** ![Beryl\_Mooncalf\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9f8e36/32.png) [@Beryl\_Mooncalf\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beryl_Mooncalf_1)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-doctor-was-a-moron-and-you-destroyed-my-credit-i-hope-your-head-explodes/193597/22 "2003-08-08T01:02:18Z")
Sometimes the MD’s are required to agree to take less due to agreements with the insurance companies. If this is the case, they must waive the balance. Is it possible that they are charging you this waived amount? Did you contest the validity of the debt when the collection agency first notified you (within 30 days I think)? If you continue to get the run around, and have had enough, Spend a little money to have a lawyer write the medical office and explain to them that 1. The bills have been paid. 2. The medical office has the case returned to them immediately. 3. If they do not do so, they will be invited to discuss the matter before the appropriate judge, who will also decide how much money they will need to pay to you in compensation for the injustice you suffered. The bottom line is this; you will spend far too much time trying to resolve this yourself. Even if you are successful, you will put yourself through a very frustrating experience. Doctor do not like receiving registered letters. It really causes them great concern, and therefore, they pay particular attention to the matter. (If there are more than one doctor, let them all have a letter to sigh for). The doctor will do more under these circumstances, in record time, towards resolving your concern. After collection agency returns the file to the MD, he will bury it deeper than last years garbage. Then you will need to call the Credit Reporting Bureaus and contest the collection account on your record. (don’t assume the agency will do anything to set the record straight) They will investigate it and find that it no longer exists, and it will be removed. I believe there is a recent law that protects you regarding multiple bureaus. If one bureau removes a matter for cause, then they all must remove it (you don’t need to go through this several times). I’m not sure about that though. The money you spend on a lawyer will save you more frustration than you can foresee. (This is the only reason that lawyers should be allowed to exist in the free world. IMHO) Best of luck. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-doctor-was-a-moron-and-you-destroyed-my-credit-i-hope-your-head-explodes/193597/23 "2003-08-25T00:25:08Z")
Just to follow up: Allegedly, I’m going to get a notification, in writing, within two weeks, from both the collection agency and the doctor’s office, stating that their attempts to collect on the bill were in error. I’ll believe it when I see it, but it’s the insurance agency forcing this. And, I found that I wasn’t the only one having trouble with the employee of the collection agency. When the insurance company rep was trying to talk with her, she went apeshit. I smell a job termination in the making. (Am I allowed to be gleeful? Please tell me I am.) Julie ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-doctor-was-a-moron-and-you-destroyed-my-credit-i-hope-your-head-explodes/193597/24 "2003-08-25T01:51:24Z")
Glad to hear it, **jsgoddess**. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-doctor-was-a-moron-and-you-destroyed-my-credit-i-hope-your-head-explodes/193597/25 "2003-08-25T02:13:31Z")
Wow, thanks for the heads up. I just got an $1800 bill for an MRI that was taken at the MRI facility at XYZ clinic, which is the company that we have our health insurance with. The insurance rep I talked to assured me that the MRI facility submitted the claim wrong, that it listed a doctor’s office as the MRI location, not the MRI facility. The clinic billing people laughed at that one, assured me that the form did indeed say it was at the MRI facility, and resubmitted the bill without changing one thing. We’ll see if it works. If not, time to start documenting everything in writing. But wouldn’t you think that XYZ clinic would know how to submit a claim to XYZ insurance, ITS OWN SUBSDIARY HEALTH INSURANCE PROVIDER, with the correct information? From an MRI facility that probably does several dozen MRIs a day? I would! I swear, sometimes I think the insurance companies try to renege on paying for preapproved tests just to stick you with the full bill, since they know they’re going to get paid a lesser amount under the policy. Even when it’s the same organization paying itself!!! ---
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-doctor-was-a-moron-and-you-destroyed-my-credit-i-hope-your-head-explodes/193597/26 "2003-08-25T02:51:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by **Otto** \* > Contact the credit bureau with which the derogatory information has been placed and dispute the information, in writing. Keep a copy. The credit buraeu has 30 days to investigate and when it’s found that the account was placed in error it will be removed. > > Then contact the insurance agency that bizarrely ties your premium to your credit rating. Advise them in writing that your credit report has been corrected and that you expect a retroactive adjustment to your premium based on the correction. Keep a copy for your records. Give them 30 days to do it, then contact them again using phrases like “appropriate legal action.” > > That being said No, you have insurance to pay for medical expenses in accordance with the terms of your policy. It is not the job of your insurance company to seek out bills that aren’t submitted or to contact your provider to advise them, beyond the initial explanation of payment, not to seek additional payment. Otto is correct here. Doctors offices and hospitals are not required to so much as submit your info to your insurance. They do it as a courtesy. In the same vein, your insurance co has no responsibility to investigate bills they haven’t been billed for. As for the insurance company basing premiums on credit, it’s been going on for a few years now (at least 3 at the “you’re in good hands” people) and I think its absurd. My customers did as well, when they learned about it. But there’s not much you can do about it, unless you find a company that doesn’t do that now. > [@](#): > > **Philster** said: > > As for credit reports…collection agencies are pathetic when it comes to validating debts, so dispute any tradelines from collection companies. Collection agencies don’t validate anything, unless they actually bought the paper and have it on hand. (Paper in collectorese is debt) They simply ask their client for the paperwork in question. More than likely the fault lies with the client. > [@](#): > > **Yeticus Rex** said: > > I can sympathize with you JS, but when they call you again, just laugh at them (that is very therapeutic and it pisses them off even more). Let them know you’re taking care of the problem the best way you see fit and you have no inclination of following anyone else’s payment schedule, since your obligation was handled and that their reaction is unjustified due to a computer error which they have no mind or heart to rationalize that some people (such as yourself) do not actually belong on a collection list, and you also realize that some mindless, angry people in this world (such as said bill collector) needs a job too and let them know that they are doing such a great job! Laugh again…then hang up… Bill collectors aren’t evil. Some of them have really bad attitudes. If people would pay their bills, there would be no need for collectors. You wouldn’t believe how many people out there are completely irresponsible morons. You can say whatever you want to the nasty ones, I have no qualms with that, but some are just trying to do a job that is unbelievably hard. > [@](#): > > **Ivylass** said: > > Send all correspondence certified mail, return receipt requested. > > You are entitled to tell the collection agencies not to bother you by phone anymore, but that won’t stop the collection process. > > Good luck…you will get through this. And if you are denied credit because of incorrect information on your credit report, you can sue them for big bucks. This is very important. Always send things like this certified and RR. It would have solved part of your problem, **jsgoddess**. They wouldn’t have been able to claim they didn’t get the letter. > [@](#): > > **jsgoddess** saidAnd, I found that I wasn’t the only one having trouble with the employee of the collection agency. When the insurance company rep was trying to talk with her, she went apeshit. I smell a job termination in the making. (Am I allowed to be gleeful? Please tell me I am.) Ironically, she probably will be ok. She’s a voracious collector, and that gets results. Collection agency bosses like this. It’s VERY hard to get fired from an agency if you are making your quotas. ~J ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-doctor-was-a-moron-and-you-destroyed-my-credit-i-hope-your-head-explodes/193597/27 "2003-08-25T02:57:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jaade \* > **Otto is correct here. Doctors offices and hospitals are not required to so much as submit your info to your insurance. They do it as a courtesy. In the same vein, your insurance co has no responsibility to investigate bills they haven’t been billed for.** They should be, I think, required to send me a bill before they send it to collections. And since they were one of the insurance company’s “preferred providers,” I don’t consider it a courtesy they are doing me but a requirement of their own contract. And the second letter to the collection agency was registered. They got it. I have the little return receipt. I had forgotten sending it registered mail. Julie [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-doctor-was-a-moron-and-you-destroyed-my-credit-i-hope-your-head-explodes/193597.md?page=1)