I need to vent. I feel bad about it because I know things could be so much worse, but here it goes anyway...

So, my Ethan successfully finished leukemia treatment in September (AMEN!). Along with those 3 years of hospital stays came hospital bills out the wazoo. Well, I have kept my promise to pay the hospital and physicians every month. They, however, have broken their promise and sent his bills to a collection agency because they were not paid in full. (Yeah, I would like to meet the average person who has any family in the hospital for close to a year pay off that debt in full up front!) They tell me that they will accept all major credit cards...ok, why don't I just file for bankruptcy now?

And, I just love it (sarcasm) when people tell me that I should not "sit on" the bills. Excuse me?!?!? I send them money EVERY month, religiously. You tell me how you would be sure to stay on top of EVERYTHING when you have a sick child in the hospital all the time, while trying to hold down your job and go to school full-time? Oh, and continue to be a good mother and wife? Oh- they don't care about that part, just as long as they get their money and they don't care whose lives are ruined in the process.

So, now my perfect credit that my husband and I have worked really hard to keep that way has been ruined. I don't know if this is supposed to be some lesson about life- I don't know. I should be saying "screw it- who cares, my son is well", but I still feel like a part of me is being punished for something.

So much for wanting that baby next year...I will not have the money for one! I will be paying off the hospital for the next 10 years!

Sorry, thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

Prayers that all work out...

Side note... If you can prove that you have been paying monthly, I don't see how the hospital can send you to a collections agency for you have made an effort.... That just doesn't make sense. Hopefully your credit will be restored and this nightmare end.

Hugs...

I feel ya'... DH and I had credit scores over 800- as high as you can get, and now mine (since it was my name on most of Luke's stuff) is in the 500's...This was within a matter of months! Luke's bills are approaching the 100k mark! I have been wanting to move desperately...A family of six, three cats and two dogs in an 1100 sq ft. house doesn't cut it...I can kiss that good bye.

On the flip side, the only thing that saved my credit (which is now going back up since we sold a house) is the fact that if you have receipts for your payments, you can definately argue the charges. Also, for future credit, most lenders tend to be more sympathetic with medical debt... Not all, but most of them.
Good luck with the bill collectors. It won't be long before they call...They are the most cruel and vicious people I have ever spoken to...One of them actually told me to put my daughter to work to pay for Luke's medical bills...She's not even eight yet! You wouldn't believe the words that come out of my mouth...I'm petite, and southern, but Lord, is my mouth mighty.
Good luck...I sympathize for sure.

I think that it is a cruel system that won't provide hospital care without payment. We are so blessed in Australia to have medicare which provides public hospital care free for anyone. Of course you can't necessarily get the treatment when you want it, you have to wait but it beats the US system hands down.

I think it totally sucks that they sent your bills to a collection agency and it is totally wrong. If you are making payments they have no right to do that. Have you approached the hospital and surgeons and explained that you are making payments? Sometimes these things happen because of an overzealous secretary or a misunderstanding.

I agree with Amanda, debt collectors are amongst the most cruel and vicious people on earth and I wouldn't want to be in their shoes when they meet their maker. I have been through the whole process, lost my house and gone bankrupt and it sucks big time. Dammit, if I was rich I would finance both of you!!

That sucks!! Haven't you been through enough?? I'm so sorry this is happening... I won't mention how I feel about some of the people living in my state who get free medical care- without being a citizen It's unfair that you are doing your best to pay it off and it's not enough- just reminds us that hospitals are businesses!

I am sorry they did that. I would try to go to a debt consolidation place and see if they will work with youor see if some of the agressive collectors at your CU can help get the amounts reduced for you. You may be able to get them agree to a lesser amount. I know with your work at the credit union you already know this, but medical debt is looked on much differently than someone just living beyond their means. The fact that you are paying on it will be huge as well. You could also apply for a medical bankruptcy if they give you too hard of a time. That may have consequences for your job though so I would find that out first. This is a pain and I am very sorry you are having to deal with it. Good luck!

Kayla

If you set up a payment plan and have been paying every month I think it is illegal to get sent to a collection agency...Don't we have some lawyers on here?

Oh Kristen, this stinks. I am so sorry to hear you are going through this. I don't know how they can do this if you are making payments each month. I am just so sorry you two have this stress. I wish there was something I could do. Oh my goodness, this is just absolutely crazy! I am praying something will change or someone will have empathy, and it will all resolve. Diane

Heh..I saw this guy today...maybe he can help you Kristin. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-UEtdfmp_I&mode=related&search=

Watch all three segments.
amy

Kristin and Amanda, I need to let you know that not all hospitals report to the Credit Bureau. I use to be a bill collector for medical bills at a collection agency. I knew of only two hospitals in our area that had the bills reported to the credit bureau. Please note that if your bills get to the point that it is sent to an attorney for suit that the courts then automatically report it to the credit bureau so it is important to see if you can set up arrangements with the collection agency. Most of the Hospital do not report to the Credit Bureau, at least in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. Children's hospital was one of our biggest clients and they did not report to the credit bureau. Hospitals usually will only keep a debt on there books for so long then it is automatically turned over to collections. Once in collections you can still set up a payment arrangement. I use to set people up all the time, taking into consideration that they also have other bills to pay like rent or house payments, food and ongoing prescriptions for medical problems. Remain calm when talking to a collector and explain your situation. The hospital doesn't want to bankrupt anyone and they would have to give approval for any legal action taken against you. A collector is not allowed to curse at you, or leave messages on your recorder about any bills you may owe They can only leave their name and phone number for a return call, at least this is how we worked it in our State. You can tell them not to call you at home or work and they are then not allowed to call anymore. They are not allowed to discuss these bills with anyone else but you or your spouse unless you give them permission to do so. If you set up arrangements and find that you can not make a payment or at least not the amount agreed upon then just call the collector and advise them why so they can make sure the account is not forwarded for farther collections. Collectors are people too and most will understand if some other emergency came up making that payment impossible for that month. They are allowed to verify your employment but they can not advise why they are doing so. The collection agency is not in business to make you lose your job because if you did then they would not have the means of getting any money out of you. If you get a bill collector who you just can't work with and they have a bad attitude you can send them a cease and desist letter.
I was accused of being too nice and understanding sometimes by my fellow collectors but you know what, I use to collect around $1,000,000 a year and it was on all small balances. Sometimes if you have a secondary insurance you will find out the hospital never billed them and the collectors can help get that done. Sometimes the collector will even talk with your insurance company if there is a problem with how the bill was billed that is preventing them from paying. Some collectors will even tell you of programs you may qualify for to help you get these bills paid.
If you have any questions you can PM me.

Kristen - i'm so sorry that this is happening. seems you've got some good advice from many people here. sure hope things can be mended - it's only fair since you've been paying all along. they shouldn't be able to do this if you've kept paying all along. we'll pray that this mess is soon sorted out. hang in there, aj

Thanks everyone.

Christina: I didn't think it was legal either, but how they do it is attach a different four digit number onto the account number for every date of service. Well, Ethan has so many different DOS's that it would be impossible for me to make arrangements on every one. I have asked them to consolidate them to one and they refuse.

Mary Beth: The collection agency has been nice, but at the same time said that I was sent to Equifax and there is nothing they can do unless they are paid in full.

So, it's really one of those things that I have tried to do right by and it is still biting me.

Amy: Thanks for the link. One of the comments set that he was debarred for money laundering. But, still something to possibly look into.

Karyn: You are too sweet! That's it- we're moving to Aussie land!

Tsmith: I feel your pain and I am so sorry that you are going through it too!

My job is going to get me in touch with a patient advocate that knows some back doors. So, hopefully that will work out!

Everybody together....*sigh*

I worked in the mortgage biz for a while in my younger days. Here's what I know about credit:

With medical bills, for example, if they are over 120+ days old they are going to automatically send it to a collection agency. They have to clear their books. However, I was personally told the bills have to go to 3 different agencies before it actually goes on your credit. The 1st letters demanding letter payment are a scare tactic. If you have a payment plan set up and you never miss a payment ~ they can't report you ~ you can give them $10/month and they can't touch you. Have you pulled your credit report to see if it is actually on there? I would pull from all 3 agencies. If it is dispute it. The agencies will open an investigation and get it fixed. DH & I have very good credit scores too ~ but I always find stuff wrong on those reports, such as open mortgages that are paid, credit cards that should be closed still open, etc. Let me know if you need any help.

The only good thing about them going to an agency is, for example, if you offer to pay the bills in full, they will offer you sometimes as much as 25-50% off. This worked out for us, we have a $2500 deductible per person/ $5000 for family and we let Joel's bills sit a few months till that 1st letter, explained that we had a lot of bills and that we wanted to pay in full and we received a 25% discount on most of his bills. Sorry ~ if I am being redundant ~ but I never knew hospital offered discounts before Joel.

Praying for you sweetie.

I am so sorry you are going through this. Hospital bills suck. I am still trying to pay off some from when Josie was conceived.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Kristen,

This seems soooo unfair. Isn't it enough that you're son has been sick? I hate that they can do this! If I were rich I'd write a check and you could be done with it. Ugggghhhhh! (And I always wondered why John's bills didn't all have one account number. Seemed like a stupid system to me. Do they do it that way to make it easier to turn it over to collection????)

Kristin you should be able to combine all of the bills at the collection agency for a payment arrangement and if the hospital sends anymore then have them combined with the others. We did this all the time when I was working in collections. the oldest bills got paid off first unless you instructed to have certain invoices paid off first.

Amy~

Yes. The local children's hospital which is under the umbrella of the major hospital. We do have insurance, it's just the deductable. Then, with all of the out of pocket with copays and prescriptions, we can only pay so much and still afford to pay the mortgage. And, even with what I can send them, I sent them over $1700 last year in payment.

Mary Beth~ That would be great, but they have refused. I asked a LONG time ago. I cried. They said- I am sorry, but there is nothing we can do about it.

I am so sorry! I don't have any advice, but I can certainly add you to my prayer list! Hang in there, you have what's most important and you will work out the rest!

I don't quite understand all of this..When Summer was born..my son was told that she will be on medicaid for life and it has come through for them every time..Is medicaid a state to state program or is it federal? Anyway it has saved them immensely