i'm angry, scared & need advice

“I think he needs to have his ass kicked Tar, go for it.”

“LOL, i think on Monday i'm going to have my husband take a long lunch and go to the collection agency with me. now that i know my credit history is clean, that guy can't intimidate me. i'll head in there with a copy of the Preferred Provider contract and demand to see his documentation. i just need to remember that he's depending on me to pay, so he can get paid. his motives aren't pure and noble. only problem - hubby is just as mellow and unconfrontational as i am. i wish i knew any big, intimidating guys.”

“thanks to everybody, really. you've all been so very helpful. i feel a thousand times better.”

“Good for you Tar. Whatever his motives are, speaking to you like that, and lying, and hanging up, is not justified. He needs to find another career.”

“tar:

you may be interested in 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1692(c) and (d), which addresses harassment by debt collectors and manner of communication with consumers.

US Code can be found online at www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/”

“It certainly sounds like this is a good example of how NOT to run your collection agency!

Take 'em down Tar!”

“Contact your local aumbudsman (sp), or your local congressman. if the congressman is a democrat, I'm sure they'd love to expose this fiasco and help you out.”

“LOL@BB

"ombudsman", by the way.”

“how exactly does one go about finding an ombudsman? and what powers do they actually have? guess i'll check the phone book.”

“Tar, ignore Buddha Bear. He's yanking your chain.

While your congressman might be able to help if it were an especially egregious case, this hasn't reached that level.”

“I doubt that this doctor can do anything if he is a contract participating provider with your insurance co. My wife was in 4 different hospitals at the same time (relatively) and my insurance co refused to pay about $100,000. I screamed & they eventually paid all but $200. I was going to push it but figured it wasn't worth the trouble for $200. Sued? Often! I just throw the lawsuits in a drawer. Threatened to sue? So far, they've gotten -0- out from 15 yrs ago. Invite the collection guy over for a BBQ & tell him nada. Read the contract.”

“for all who remember my little saga with the collections agency - something good may happen! i called my insurance company AGAIN on Monday, to request a written history of all claims filed by this Doctor. actually, since it turns out that THREE doctors are billing me, but only one has filed the colection, i've just requested the history or every stinking claim ever filed in my name. this thing gets stranger & stranger...

but, the good news. after going over some fo the denied claims with my insurer, the representative mentioned that if i had been paying a "second tier" benefit (copay), then some of the claims would have been covered. well holy %$#^&@, i DID pay the extra high copay! the Dr. wouldn't even see me unless i was paying the "2nd tier" co-pay! when i explained this to the Aetna representative, everything seemed to change. she said that she would re-examine all denied claims, and that Aetna would pay some of them! she couldn't specify which, and said that since the claims were 2 years old she would have to get higher approval, but she will call me within 7-10 days to let me know what Aetna would pay!

i almost cried. i've known all along that somebody made a mistake, and now here i am clearing it up for them. this is ridiculous!

i also sent a polite letter to the collections agent, explaining the development and with a token apology for wasting his time, but pointing out that the person really wasting his time is the Dr., and that if he disregarded the forthcoming Aetna payments and took me to court, i wouldn't hesitate to hire an attorney of my own. boy was that a run-on sentence!

so anyway, good things may happen and THANK YOU to all who comforted me when i was so upset recently.”

“...don't get sick...”

“honestly, i'm such a pansy girl that i have been! i hate crap like this, it upsets me and then i don't eat. but now i'm restored - once again, confirmation that somebody else screwed up! haha! and in less than 2 weeks i'll be driving to Yosemite and then they can't touch me until September!”