MEDICAL BILLS-PAY EM OFF?-HELP!!! I have no idea what to do with all the unpaid medical bills my credit report shows. My ins. carrier went bankrupt (lucky them) and left all the med. bills to the insured. I have had cancer and have been dealing with major medical bills, which are showing on my credit report as "delinquent account", collection filed for about 18 accounts. I seriously do not know where to start. Other than these bills I am clean, don't owe credit card balances, had mortgage for 8 years then sold house, 2cars, both paid off loans now. I was stupid, applied for a mortgage to buy another house and they laughed at my ignorance at my credit situation, humiliating but now I am on the warpath. I make very good income. Some tell me, go BK, but the total of these smallish acconts is only 5500.00. So, do I pay them off, and due to the number of accounts, what would be my success rate at trying to regain a respectable credit score? I am REALLY steamed! Lisa Score- Equifax 489 TU 489 XPN 509 I am in credit HELL
Re: MEDICAL BILLS-PAY EM OFF?-HELP!!! You said your medical insurance company folded. That is not an everyday occurance. They are still liable for the claims. I would start there. Find out who or what took over the insurance company. Often, a state or federal agency has to step in and honor outstanding claims when an insurance company folds. What happened to the remaining assets of the insurance company? They are used to honor claims. Sometimes the accounts are sold by the state to other insurance companies. I'd raise holy hell with my state insurance commissioner about this. Demand they honor your claims. You may have to hire an attorney to sue the insurance company in order to get a piece of what is left.
Re: MEDICAL BILLS-PAY EM OFF?-HELP!!! Question, was it the insurance company itself or the IPA? I know that at my hospital where I work, there were quite a few IPA's that went bankrupt and they were put in legal bad debt in order to file a creditor's claim against the BK case. We did NOT put the patient in bad debt. You should follow the advice of the post above and raise u know what with the insurance company AND you can also try working with the hospital through their admin. This should NOT be reflecting on you expecially if the hospital/physician providers were contracted with the insurance company or IPA.
Re: MEDICAL BILLS-PAY EM OFF?-HELP!!! Lisa, contact your state's department of insurance. The claims can be handled. When an insurance company goes bankrupt, either another company takes over, or the state guarantee fund kicks in and starts paying claims.
Re: MEDICAL BILLS-PAY EM OFF?-HELP!!! Breeze is right on, again. The state fund is a special fund set up and all insurance companies pay into it. If one of the companies goes out the fund will pay claims, at the very least. Or another co. will move in and do a buyout. Start with your dept of ins. in your state. Come back and let us know what happens.
Re: MEDICAL BILLS-PAY EM OFF?-HELP!!! WOW guys, didn't even know about that state ins. thing, thanks a million! I will find out about that right away. If they can help pay these debts that would be a huge burden lifted. Unfortunately, in Florida where I am, medical bills are the only legal debt that they can hold you to, so I am out of luck in all aspects of buying another house etc. until this is settled. have considered going BK but am afraid that might be adding more time to my credit sentence in hell. However, I have a friend (don't we all, haha) who went BK 2 years ago and already has new cards, etc...what the heck is up with that????
Re: MEDICAL BILLS-PAY EM OFF?-HELP!!! Well, the bk then get new cards deal is probably over for a while, anyway. Don't even consider bk. These bills will get paid. There are a lot of problems in FL with health insurance companies and fraud - but FL DOI is on top of it. Get your claims paperwork and bills together and call this number - it's the FL DOI consumer assistance helpline: 1-800-342-2762
Re: MEDICAL BILLS-PAY EM OFF?-HELP!!! Breeze, Wow you are the best, this website has given me new life and a reason to hope for the best in the future! As a cancer patient with entirely too much time on my hands I feel like I am up to the fight. Thanks for the #, I will definitely be working on this, my mission to belong to the real world, haha.
Re: MEDICAL BILLS-PAY EM OFF?-HELP!!! Breeze is great. Seriously. The state govt's don't look too kindly on insurance companies that collect premiums and then take off when claims come in. They take it very seriously. You might also want to contact your local rep in state government to see what resources they can bring to the table. They can often with a phone call get doors to open for you and introduce you to the people that inforce insurance law. Sometimes the state can go after the personal assets of directors of the insurance company. If they made money off you and now refuse to honor claims, they can be liable.
Re: MEDICAL BILLS-PAY EM OFF?-HELP!!! Sounds like a survivor to me! I take care of my Mom, who, at age 75 was diagnosed with cancer - she is now 81 and a cancer survivor.
