” This is like…………guilty until proving yourself innocent. The public record shows Leon owes money he refuses to pay. That makes Leon a deadbeat. Now, it’s up to Leon to prove he’s not. Most would rather pay tribute to keep their reputation intact even though that would be wrong. The hospital should pay Leon $420 in reputational damages. Bastards!” – Molly Mulebriar
By Leon Wisniewski
Revolutionizing Healthcare Spending | Founder @Health Cost Labs | Actuarial & Forensic Audit Expert | 20+ Years of Experience Working in the Healthcare Industry | Top 100 Innovators & Entrepreneurs!
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Two years ago I took my son to the ER. We are on a health share. No contract or network. Self pay only. A few weeks later I receive a bill from the physician’s office for $504 for cpt 99283. I knew it was wrong the second I looked at it. Too much. I went to the hospital MRF for the professional charges and saw the #cash rate was $84. Image attached. I paid $84 in the payment portal.
A few weeks ago I get a letter in the mail from a collections agency to remit the remaining $420. I knew this could happen, was dreading it and also hoping it would happen. This is a fight I want!
I disputed the collections attempt in their online portal (screen attached) and said I paid accurately per their own price transparency file on their website. A week goes by and I get a report from the collections agency showing that the amount of $504 was correct for cpt 99283. I call them and ask for an email to which I can submit information showing I paid correctly. And that their price is wrong. Mind you, this collections online portal is all one-way. They don’t offer an email address nor allow me to upload documents. Its like they’re ramming this shit down my throat.
I file a complaint with the state attorney general’s office. They have a website for my county and I used that one. I uploaded the bill, a screen shot of the prices for code 99283, and write that charging an amount more than you expect to receive is fraud. I paid accurately and should not have collectors come after me.
I then send an email to the collections agency saying that the attorney general’s office has been informed that you are trying to collect an amount that is not only higher than any other price in their file, $504 is not even in their file. A clear pricing error. And that according to our laws The Fair Pricing Act you are not allowed to use information you know to be inaccurate. “https://lnkd.in/g4Hiq8k4”
A few days later I get a letter saying that $420is owed but they are not reporting any information to a credit reporting agency. So my take-away here is that this is all theater. Like everything else in healthcare. Just scaring people to overpay. Our state attorney general’s offices have to fix this. Charging more than you expect to receive is fraud. And it opens the door for middleman pushing fake savings on people who don’t know any better.
Sorry this took so long. Again, like, share or ignore as you wish. Thank you.
