Hospital sueing me? Even after I've been making payment...

[tracysue1]

I have a debt from having blood work at a hospital in the amount of $747.00
I have been sending $10.00 a month for three months.
An attorney called and threatened me that if I don't pay his client (the hospital) all the money at once, that he will take further steps. I told him I can only stick with paying the $10.00 a month untill tax return when I could pay larger amounts toward the debt. He told me to refinance my house to pay off this debt. I said I would not do that, I will send the $10.00 a month.

I am now being sued by the hospital for the remaining sum plus court fees.

Can they do that to me when I am paying on the bill monthly?

Thanks for your help!
Tracy D.

 

[Michael Wechsler]

Tracy - If I may ask, if you own a house, why is it that you are not paying a $747 bill you seem to owe? What makes you seem to think that you can pay back this money you owed after services were rendered at $10 a month, interest free, which will take you more than 5 years to pay it back? What defense do you have? If the answer is "none" and it's just the amount you feel you can afford to pay, my gut feeling is you better find a way to make a deal now or you're going to pay twice that amount or more if you do get to court. And then there will be collection fees and potentially a lien on your property if you still refuse to pay.

I'm assuming you have a job. Let's say your boss decided to not pay you the $3,000 a month you make but decided to pay you only $100 a month of that amount until they can make up the difference. They tell you that they can only afford to pay you that amount because they are waiting for a tax refund and also for another vendor to pay them before they pay you. The president of the company tells you this personally before he leaves the office in his company paid BMW. How would you feel waiting almost 3 years to get back all the money you earned last month?

The problem with the bailouts is that Americans have this belief that everyone has a fundamental right to own a house. That's a complete fallacy. You only have a right to own what you can afford. If you have cable TV, more than one television or vehicle or any other possession, perhaps you have to think about what you need to do in order to pay the bills or deal with the consequences. I don't mean to sound harsh but this is the reality from what I know.

 

[tracysue1]

Law Professor, please see next comment...

 

[tracysue1]

@ The Law Professor

Guess I should have givin more detail as to the saga of my life... but really just wanted to know if the hospital can sue me for the balance while I am making payments.

**I am disabled and have no income, I have been approved for disability, but would only get $13.00 a month and no medical benefits because of my husband's (huge) income of $2000.00 a month which barely covers house payment, utilities and food. We have two kids, two tv's, basic cable (only because you cannot watch tv without it ~ I hate paying to watch TV). I have had two surgeries and a stroke in 2011 which left us with MANY hospital bills. We are paying a little on ALL of them.... Not a glamorous life here, but thankful for it.

** I think the REAL problem with America is people like you that jump to conclusions and assume we all have equal income with equal health insurance and equal opportunities to get employment...NOT TRUE.

** We always pay what is owed, just may take a little longer. NOT ON WELFARE, NOT FILING BANKRUPTCY.... just plugging away like middle class do.

Thanks for the great legal advise though... oh wait... you didn't give any.

 

[army judge]

A disability does not provide you with immunity from legal process, madam.

Can you be sued?

Of course, anyone can be sued.

Will the hospital prevail?

Probably, if you owe an unpaid debt.

Even if they get a judgment, they'll have to collect it.

Based on what you revealed about your finances, they most likely will be unable to collect.

So, they'll probably place a lien aginst your home.

That will have little, if any effect upon you.

Your home won't be sold to satisfy the judgment.

If your home is ever sold, the judgment will be satisfied out of any proceeds.

So, stop worrying, this is nothing, compared to your other issues.

In all likelihood, you're probably dealing with a debt collector scavenger, and not the hospital.

The scavenger won't sue you.

The bully you and intimidate you into paying them.

Just stop communicating with them, and focus on your health!