Hospital bill

[Chelsea A]

Jurisdiction

Ohio

I gave birth to my son on 7/30/19 at 9:46pm. My husband and I have a high deductible insurance policy and expected to pay a large portion out of pocket, but we didn't expect to pay for stuff that never happened. The hospital strongly encourages NOT sending babies to the nursery. I kept my son with me 24/7 and the hospital charged me $3,650 for nursery care! I was charged $1,755 for the recovery room/board for 7/30 and $1,755 for 7/31. I wasn't in a recovery room on 7/30, I was in the labor and delivery room (a separate $4,300 charge for that room) as I gave birth later in the night and wasn't moved until 7/31. I can't be in two places at once and the hospital is double dipping by charging me simultaneously for two rooms! I wrote several letters and called hospital billing to dispute the $3,650 in nursery charges and $1,755 room/board charge for 7/30. I even wrote a complaint to the Ohio Attorney General and after submitting the complaint against the hospital, the hospital sent my entire bill to collections ($10,163 total). What can I do at this point? Do I have the debt collector validate the debt? Please help

 

[adjusterjack]

What can I do at this point?

You are probably going to have to sue the hospital over the bill. Whether it's worth it to you to do that or not is up to you.

Do I have the debt collector validate the debt?

Not sure it will do you any good. The collection agent will ask the hospital if it's a valid bill, the hospital will say yes, and nothing changes.

Your total bill is 10163 but your disputed charges are only 5405. You should have paid the undisputed amount when it was due and continued to work on the disputed 5405.

The undisputed amount is 6 months past due. That's why you got sent to collections.

 

[Chelsea A]

Ok. I've never dealt with a debt collector before so which is most likely: the hospital sold the debt or the hospital hired the company to get the debt? Because I've been told that if the hospital sold the debt, it was most likely for pennies on the dollar and I would have leverage to negotiate the bill way down. Again, I'm not looking to get something for nothing. We're a hardworking family and only want to pay what we actually owe.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

We're a hardworking family and only want to pay what we actually owe.

Then why didn't you pay the part of the bill you don't dispute?

 

[Chelsea A]

Because we still would have been sent to collections. Just hired an attorney, but thanks anyway.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Because we still would have been sent to collections. Just hired an attorney, but thanks anyway.

You don't KNOW that.

It is good you have a lawyer.

 

[zddoodah]

What can I do at this point?

You can do lots of things. You're free to continue disputing the bill. You might get sued. If that happens, you can defend yourself.

You are probably going to have to sue the hospital over the bill.

I disagree. A lawsuit by a debtor against a creditor based on a dispute is not proper.

I do, however, agree that the OP should have paid the undisputed portion of the bill.

which is most likely: the hospital sold the debt or the hospital hired the company to get the debt?

In the abstract, neither is more or less likely than the other.

 

[adjusterjack]

I disagree. A lawsuit by a debtor against a creditor based on a dispute is not proper.

Sure it is. One seeks a declaratory judgment that one doesn't owe the money. Though probably not something one does in small claims court.

 

[zddoodah]

Sure it is. One seeks a declaratory judgment that one doesn't owe the money. Though probably not something one does in small claims court.

That's not something one does at all. Moreover, a creditor suing for a declaratory judgment is a great way to get a countersuit that might not otherwise be filed.

 

[Tax Counsel]

That's not something one does at all.

Just to be clear, you are saying that a debtor cannot sue for a declaratory judgment on a claimed debt in Ohio? Because that is what Jack was positing. The reason I ask is that you then switch to the creditor suing for a declaratory judgment:

Moreover, a creditor suing for a declaratory judgment is a great way to get a countersuit that might not otherwise be filed.

Certainly I agree it would be quite foolish for a creditor to sue for a declaratory judgment rather than just the money judgment on the debt.

And it is also true that whether it is the creditor or debtor seeking a declaratory judgment it may will result in the other party filing a counterclaim that might not have been filed. For the debtor filing the declaratory action that would invite the creditor to just go ahead and seek the money judgment, essentially rendering the declaratory action moot and accelerating the matter into court when the creditor might never have otherwise pursued it, or at least may not have gotten to it nearly so soon.

 

[Disabled Vet]

You could now end up paying more. You will have interest tacked on. Legal fee's tacked on. Court costs tacked on. Your credit score has taken a big hit which could result in higher interest rates on loans. Denial of credit etc.... I don't think you have hired a lawyer... reason is simple. You would have done that a long time ago.

 

[zddoodah]

Just to be clear, you are saying that a debtor cannot sue for a declaratory judgment on a claimed debt in Ohio? Because that is what Jack was positing. The reason I ask is that you then switch to the creditor suing for a declaratory judgment

Correct. I switched by mistake.

Certainly I agree it would be quite foolish for a creditor to sue for a declaratory judgment rather than just the money judgment on the debt.

I often see creditors include dec relief claims along with their contract and quasi-contract claims, although I've never understood why. But I've never seen a creditor sue only for dec relief.

For the debtor filing the declaratory action that would invite the creditor to just go ahead and seek the money judgment, essentially rendering the declaratory action moot and accelerating the matter into court when the creditor might never have otherwise pursued it, or at least may not have gotten to it nearly so soon.

Yup.