1day,

I am truley sorry to hear about all this. I know how medical bills can pile up, you pay and still there is a stragler.

I have worked at collection agencies, Dr. offices and so on. In my experience, payment plans are offered and you can keep an account from being reported to the credit bureau. However, it can only be extended for a certain period of time.

In addition I am going to go off on a rant here because I am still amazed that DR.'s offices, hopitals, and other healthcare professionals do not automatically discount self pay patients. You see, these Dr's participate with various insurance companies and in doing so, agree to accept their payment as payment in full and contractually adjust the balance. For example: if you see the Dr and the visit costs $100.00. The Dr. office bills your insurance and your insurance only allows $35.00 for the visit, then the overage of $65.00 must be contractually adjusted and the patient/member may not be balance billed. But when a Dr. see's a patient with NO health insurance they want to charge them the full $100.00 for the visit and are quick to send them to collections when payment is not received. I dont understand why a courtesy discount isnt given off the top to the self pay patient. It makes me sick. I work in this field and I know that our company, which is very large does well over 3 million per year in charity care for self pay patients, and others who can not afford services.
I also know that in the state of Maryland, Dr.s, hospitals and other facilities CAN NOT charge a self pay patient any more then what they would receive from the insurance like a usual and customary. As far as I know, Maryland is the only state that does that and I hope that other states will follow suit.

I know I have rambled here but everytime I hear a story like your it burns me up everytime. But at the same time, I know that these DR.s do not get paid as much as they once did and these insurance companies demand more and pay less and the whole system is screwed up and quite honestly I dont even know what or if there is a solution. Just know that I understand what your going through and just so you know, when a credit report is pulled on you or your hubby, medical bills are not taken too seriously. They take delinquent accounts and stuff like that more seriously. It still is reported but not looked upon as badley.

Please keep us posted. Take care hun.

Huggles,

Jen