I had a bad year.  Spent a total of 4 weeks in the hospital for crohn's disease related pain, etc.  

The last time I get out of the hospital I had a 25 thousand dollar bill waiting for me.  I have insurance and they said they would cover it.  Then I get a letter from a bill collector who says that my insurance won't pay.  So I call the insurance and a manager gets on the phone and says we will gladly pay for it when they code the bill correctly.  So I ask her to call the bill collectors and tell them this has nothing to do with me...will be paid etc.  That was 5 weeks ago.  Today I get a call from cactus collections in scottsdale again...same guy.  I asked him what went wrong...he claims that the insurance company said they would pay twice but the bill hasn't been paid yet.  I ask him what he wants me to do about it...he claims it is my responsibilty that the bill is paid.  I tell him to fuck right off.

Do I have any legal rights here?  Can I sue the insurance company?  Do I have to take abusive and intruding phone calls from the bill collector?  What can I do?

Thanks.

The longer the insurance company holds on to the money the more interest they gain.

Just a game.

Play it hard!

Call the state insurance commissioners office. you can find the number in the Blue Pages of the phone book. Keep a record of contact by the collections people, and a detailed log of exactly what they say. Good Luck!!!!!!!!

Remember the collection agency has a stake in this also. I'm not sure they get a cut if the payment does not go through them. That might be why they are pushing so hard on a paperwork isue that they have nothing really to do with.

The collection agency is playing for about $7,000.00.  How hard would you work (or how many calls would you make) to collect that?

Good luck.

Quoted: The collection agency is playing for about $7,000.00.  How hard would you work (or how many calls would you make) to collect that? Good luck.

No wonder the scumbags could care less if you really owe the bill or not.

Quoted: Quoted: The collection agency is playing for about $7,000.00.  How hard would you work (or how many calls would you make) to collect that? Good luck. No wonder the scumbags could care less if you really owe the bill or not.

Exactly.

And how many people who owe a debt have a story to tell them also do you think?

Quoted: Fair Debt Collections Act, look it up. Write the debt collection agency telling that you dispute the bill, that you do not owe it, that you want verfication of the debt and that they are not to contact you again, Send it in writing return receipt so you get the green postcard. They can still send it out for suit by an attorney but that should get rid of the debt collector if he does not want to be sued.

What Aimless said, first fire the bill collector. (YES! YOU can fire bill collectors.) Just send them a certified letter telling them that you have chosen to deal directly with the creditor and that the collector's services are no longer needed, and then tell them that any further contact they initiate with you will be immediately reported to the state attorney general's office.

BE PREPARED!, They are going to SCREAM, STOMP AND THREATEN you with all form of evil but it is all bullshit. The louder they scream the stronger your case is. Then, get your state's Insurance Commission involved. If necessary, get out the yellow pages and consult an attorney who is well versed in insurance matters. There should be many who will be more than willing to help. Usually the biggest hog at the trough (sorry Aimless and all other attorneys) will have the ad on the back cover of your local telephone book.

Good luck!

oops

What insurance company is it?


I second the rec. to call your state insurance department and file a complaint. You should be able to find the number with a web search.

Thank you for so many replies.  Thank you for the help...especially thanks because after 4 years here on these boards, I have had very little in the way of knowledge in firearms to help anyone and you guys always help with good advice no matter that I am not a great contributor to these forums.  Ever since 9/11 I have been in a trance with what this country and world has come to be.  I've lost my love for music and I used to have fun with lyrics and posting...that was then, before 9/11.  

The name of the company is Cigna.  I just got back home and had a long message from the supervisor, said that she called the claims liason officer...and she apologized and said that she is starting all over again and called the collector...guess what?  He gave her another name to sound like she was talking to someone else (Must be a one man operation) and she called him on it!  She assured me that all would be taken care of now..blah blah (Thats what she said the last time)

Thanks again for your advice.

Mucho appreciated.

Make sure you have them correct your credit rating as this will show as a debt turned over to a collection agency. been there, done that.

Im kinda having an issue with a company, its been nearly 2 months Im still waiting on the money for getting my car fixed and the moeny for my medical bills.  My hangup is no one can find the police report.