Another collection agency issue

[dabuddha]

So we've been periodically getting a letter for the last 6-7 months (maybe once every 6 weeks or so) for some stranger. We've usually sent it back after writing return to sender, person not at this address on it. For the most part, we didn't think anything of it since we periodically get mail for the previous owners of the house.

Today I ended up opening up the letter and it turns out, it's a collection notice about an emergency room visit I made back in December 23 for my daughter. In the letter, they have my daughter's name right but the person they've been addressing it to is some other person (meaning the first name and last name is nothing like ours). I have two concerns

A) I know insurance didn't pay the bill because the total is over 700 bucks and we're supposed to pay only 10% for hospital visits. This has been happening frequently with this piece of shit insurance company (APWU which is part of the Cigna network). They keep denying claims stating that they were billed incorrectly which results in me spending a few hours on the phone between the doctor and the insurance company. They did this when my 3rd child was born in May as well.

B) It's been sent to collections apparently.

My take on it is not only have they never sent me a bill, they didn't bill the insurance company properly either. I'm going to call the number on the letter tomorrow (or should I not do so?) and I'm not sure how to begin. I'm sure they'll ask for my correct information which I was going to refuse until they fix the whole fiasco (collection agency involvement and the incorrect billing)?

sorry for the ramble, I'm thinking this out as I'm typing. Any advice/help would be appreciated!

Update (08/16/2012):
Ok so I took a closer look at the bill today because I was bored at lunch and noticed that it hasn't been sent to the collection agency yet. The company is called Sentara Collections but at the bottom in small print it says they're a division of Sentara and only collect debts owed to sentara. Sentara Collections is not a third party debt collector.

Theres nothing on my credit report regarding these guys. Honestly, I don't mind paying the debt but I know for a fact that they did not submit it to my insurance company (given the exorbitant amount). And I fear that my insurance company will squawk about a claim from December 2011.

Update (09/20/2012):

So I spoke with someone back on August 17th and gave them my correct name and insurance policy info and they said they'd bill my insurance company. Just received a letter today from a collection agency stating that the account has been sent to them for collections. It still has the other person's name on the account. Of course both the hospital billing company and the collection agency are closed right now so I can stew over this shit overnight. I'm assuming the first step is to contact the hospital billing company and then have them call the collection agency while I'm on the phone with them? Or should I just send the letter to the collection agency stating that I dispute the validity of the debt (reason being it's not me?)

 

[Ns1]

debt validation letter.

look it up.

 

[jagec]

I'd pretend that you never opened the letter (After all, you shouldn't open mail that isn't addressed to you). But pull a credit report immediately and see if there is anything on it. If so, call whoever it takes and gripe until the situation is fixed. If nothing is on the report...wait and see.

As far as you are concerned, you have done nothing wrong until you get a notice addressed to YOU that says that you owe money. At that point, raise hell, call your insurance company, call the hospital, call the collectors...

 

[dabuddha]

I'd pretend that you never opened the letter (After all, you shouldn't open mail that isn't addressed to you). But pull a credit report immediately and see if there is anything on it. If so, call whoever it takes and gripe until the situation is fixed. If nothing is on the report...wait and see.

As far as you are concerned, you have done nothing wrong until you get a notice addressed to YOU that says that you owe money. At that point, raise hell, call your insurance company, call the hospital, call the collectors...

I think I'll go with the above two. I did my have my credit report pulled cause I'm in the middle of a refi and they didn't mention anything about a collection notice on my report.

 

[blackangst1]

I think I'll go with the above two. I did my have my credit report pulled cause I'm in the middle of a refi and they didn't mention anything about a collection notice on my report.

NEVER EVER call a collector. EVER. But yes, pull your report and see *if* it's reporting, and if it is, as Ns1 said, debt validation letter.

If you get a call from them, politely tell them to only contact you through the mail, and hang up. Then put their number on your block list.

 

[0roo0roo]

NEVER EVER call a collector. EVER. But yes, pull your report and see *if* it's reporting, and if it is, as Ns1 said, debt validation letter.

If you get a call from them, politely tell them to only contact you through the mail, and hang up. Then put their number on your block list.

yea those guys buy debts and make shots in the dark, its like spam, don't reply.

 

[dabuddha]

Ok so I took a closer look at the bill today because I was bored at lunch and noticed that it hasn't been sent to the collection agency yet. The company is called Sentara Collections but at the bottom in small print it says they're a division of Sentara and only collect debts owed to sentara. Sentara Collections is not a third party debt collector.

Theres nothing on my credit report regarding these guys. Honestly, I don't mind paying the debt but I know for a fact that they did not submit it to my insurance company (given the exorbitant amount). And I fear that my insurance company will squawk about a claim from December 2011.

 

[highland145]

And I fear that my insurance company will squawk about a claim from December 2011.

IIRC, they have a year to file it with your insurance.

 

[JimKiler]

If you want to straighten in out work directly with the hospital and insurance company so it does not go to a debt collector.

 

[Safeway]

(Given the exorbitant amount).

You think $700 is exorbitant? I think it's a new suit.

An trip to the ER can result in a $7,000 bill. Easily. Your 10% portion would be $700.

Are you sure that the bill wasn't initially $7,000+?

 

[Scarpozzi]

Something similar happened to me years ago. I ended up calling, not the collection agency, but the company that claimed I had a debt with them. I then worked on connecting them to my car insurance company to sort out the debt. I did not do business with the collection agency. The bills came months after the accident and I had moved just after the accident...that's the only reason this happened.

For you, there's another step you might want to take. Put a fraud alert on your account.
http://www.equifax.com/answers/set-fraud-alerts/en_cp

This will protect you for 90 days. After the 90 days is up, do it again... It will at least notify you if they try anything with your account. If it's legitimate debt, it may not help, but it's at least something. Definitely follow up with insurance though. They provided a service and probably want to be paid...

 

[dabuddha]

You think $700 is exorbitant? I think it's a new suit.

An trip to the ER can result in a $7,000 bill. Easily. Your 10% portion would be $700.

Are you sure that the bill wasn't initially $7,000+?

No I can't swear that the bill wasn't $7000 since I never received one.

 

[dabuddha]

Something similar happened to me years ago. I ended up calling, not the collection agency, but the company that claimed I had a debt with them. I then worked on connecting them to my car insurance company to sort out the debt. I did not do business with the collection agency. The bills came months after the accident and I had moved just after the accident...that's the only reason this happened.

For you, there's another step you might want to take. Put a fraud alert on your account.
http://www.equifax.com/answers/set-fraud-alerts/en_cp

This will protect you for 90 days. After the 90 days is up, do it again... It will at least notify you if they try anything with your account. If it's legitimate debt, it may not help, but it's at least something. Definitely follow up with insurance though. They provided a service and probably want to be paid...

I'm going to call up my insurance company first and see if a claim was submitted by the hospital at all then I'll call up the hospital directly. I'm assuming that if they tried to make a claim to the insurance company for my daughter, it would have been denied if they tried to use the wrong guy's name as the policy holder instead of mine.

 

[Safeway]

No I can't swear that the bill wasn't $7000 since I never received one.

What was the reason for your visit and what tests, labs, imaging did the hospital do? How long were you there?

 

[dabuddha]

What was the reason for your visit and what tests, labs, imaging did the hospital do? How long were you there?

My younger daughter was running a 105 degree fever so we decided to take her in. At the hospital, we ended up waiting almost 2 hours before they saw us and by then, her fever had dropped to about 102/103ish. They did some blood work and I think a chest xray (it's been awhile so my memory is a bit fuzzy )

 

[sixone]

And I fear that my insurance company will squawk about a claim from December 2011.

They probably won't. You should check the policy to be sure, but most include a clause that claims submitted within two years of the date of service will be paid according to the terms of the policy.

Go back to the provider, and let them know that you won't pay a thin dime until the claim has been processed by your insurance company. Period.

 

[OutHouse]

wrong name? shit dont pay it.

 

[dabuddha]

So on the phone with them now and they mixed up my name with another patients apparently. She kept demanding my social security number until I told her to fuck off, I'm not giving it. she's like she can't process it without it and I told her, you guys already fucked up twice, I'm not risking giving my SSN to some incompetent clowns so she's talking to her supervisor now lol

 

[highland145]

So on the phone with them now and they mixed up my name with another patients apparently. She kept demanding my social security number until I told her to fuck off, I'm not giving it. she's like she can't process it without it and I told her, you guys already fucked up twice, I'm not risking giving my SSN to some incompetent clowns so she's talking to her supervisor now lol

So we can bill you correctly and ding your credit.

 

[dabuddha]

Update in OP

 

[olds]

Dude, you just messed up your Heat.

 

[highland145]

If they can't get the name right, dispute it.

 

[dabuddha]

I'm not sure what I'd be disputing with the collection agency though since the letter isn't addressed to me. First thing I was going to do was call my insurance company and see whether a claim was filed or not for that date.

 

[highland145]

I'm not sure what I'd be disputing with the collection agency though since the letter isn't addressed to me. First thing I was going to do was call my insurance company and see whether a claim was filed or not for that date.

That works.

I'd send the collector a letter stating that the person on the bill doesn't live at your address and you don't know them.