Medical Bills! - ThinnerTimes

JuleeDee · 08-02-2006, 10:48 AM

Ugh.. Does anyone know FOR sure what the statute is for paying medical bills before it goes to collections? Why I ask is my bill is about $2500 and I have been paying not a huge amount the last few months, but they want me to start paying like $200 a month which right now I can NOT afford with all my other bills and house payment.

My question is... If I am making a good faith payment $25 to $50 a month, can they send this to collections or really is there nothing they can do to expect more as long as I am paying SOMETHING.

I DO NOT want this to affect my credit score, so wondering if I am stuck and have to start paying $200 (from where not sure) or if I can continue with how I am doing and pay it off come tax time.

If any of you have delt with this or know for sure please post!! THANKS!

pmcg · 08-02-2006, 10:59 AM

as long as you are pay something it shouldn`t be a problem.i`v had the same thing happen to me

JuleeDee · 08-02-2006, 11:17 AM

Hey.. Thanks!

coptergirl · 08-02-2006, 11:46 AM

Call them and advise them on your situation, and that you are committed to paying the smaller amounts. They are still collecting from you because you are paying, so their threats of sending you to collections for non payment is just that - a threat....

Tawanda · 08-02-2006, 12:24 PM

When I had my hysterectomy, I was making regular, small, monthly payments ($35.00). I was trying to buy some time before my tax refund came in, too. The hospital said that if I could not make THEIR minimum required payment ($350.00/mo), that they had every right to turn it over to collections. The hospital's policy was that the total bill had to be paid in 90 days or turned to collection. I told them to go right ahead because there was no way I could afford their minimum. They turned it over and three days later I got my refund check. I had quite a good laugh over it when I paid the collection agency in full, knowing that they got 50% of it and if the hospital would have just held off a few days, they would have got the whole thing.

Ohh, and the collection agency was very cool about it...they never reported it on my credit because I paid them off before 30 days had elapsed.

So, you might want to check to see what the hospital's policy is. My understanding is that if it's written into their policy that a bill has to be paid in full within a certain amount of time, and your monthly payments aren't going to do that, they have every right in the world to turn you over.

AlabamaChick · 08-02-2006, 12:47 PM

I believe you are correct in what you are saying Tawanda. I have been through this before too and that is exactly how it was explained to me. They do not care if you are paying a small amouint. It's not like it used to be where you can pay $1 a month and get away with it just because you are paying "something". They are out for blood now days. Good luck Julee!

Gina in NY · 08-02-2006, 01:05 PM

The best thing to do is call and tell them you're having fincial hardship and ask what should you do. Call the patient advocate - I don't know if they do billing or not actually, but someone in there will be able to tell you what to expect.

Getting sent to collections is not the end of the world - or I wouldn't be here. But some places are easier to deal with than others - just depends how big the hospital is etc.

Good luck!

exit88 · 08-02-2006, 09:53 PM

Generally if you make a payment on an alleged debt it restarts any statute of limitations in regard to them suing you.

I am not aware of any legal limitations on a bill being sent to collections or the hospital making honest reports to a credit reporting agency.

Blueyz · 08-02-2006, 09:56 PM

I told one hospital that I needed a payment plan and they hesitated..then agreed to $100 a month. I started sending less and they threatened to send me to collections. I spoke with a few people in the industry and they told me that even if I paid $1 a month, they couldn't report me. With medical, I think it is different than say credit cards. I hope someone here can confirm this. So far, I have been ok with making very small payments to several hospitals.

sdgrrl · 08-02-2006, 10:15 PM

Steve from San Francisco sounds like the accurate policy. If you make a payment, you are not in default, the 90 day statute restarts. I have always gone with the idea that as long as I paid something, even $5, it was good faith money and they couldn't hassle you. The sneaky snarky thing about hospitals is that if you have surgery with insurance, for example, they will cut a deal with the insurance and accept maybe 60% of the bill due as paid in full. But if YOU"RE paying for the surgery out of pocket, you get no discount at all, are responsible for 100% of the charges and you can just get busy and pay them off immediately. I have been on both ends of the spectrum at the same time, as a hospital worker and a patient at the same hospital. Patient accounts people call their own coworkers all the time to hassle them to pay the co-pay, or uninsured charges. What a racket!