Medical Bill Sent to Collections After I’ve Told the Hospital SEVERAL Times They Have the Wrong Information

I’ve about had it with debt collectors and the hospital I went to YEARS ago. Basically, I went to the hospital for a COVID test back in 2021. A year and a half later, I got a bill for it. I don’t know what took them so long, but either way, it should have been covered by my insurance. So I called them, and they told me they couldn’t run it because it didn’t work—they had the wrong information. I gave them my correct insurance information and went about my life.

Then I got another statement for the same bill months later, so I called them again, and they said I “didn’t have coverage at the time of service.” Mind you, I’ve had the same insurance for the past 10 years with no lapses in coverage or anything. So I called my insurance, and come to find out, they never got the claim for it. The lady I talked to called on my behalf and gave them the correct info AGAIN, and I thought it was finally over.

Nope. A couple of months later, I got a letter from collections for that same bill. I was so fed up at that point I honestly ignored it for a while. I answered a call from a random number one day, and it was collections. I told her the same thing I’m saying now and that I’m not paying it. She said she’d figure it out, and I never heard from anyone, so I thought it was settled.

Today, I got a text from the debt collector company (the second one in total; I got one like a month or so ago, but I chose to ignore it because it still made me mad), and now I’m about to email them to get something on record. But I don’t want to say something I shouldn’t. The email basically contains the longer version of my story here, but this is the first real ‘debt’ I’ve had. Can I just email them and say all that? Like, basically explain my situation and hope for the best? The unfortunate part is I don’t really have ‘proof’ anymore since this first started becoming an issue over two years ago. I just don’t want to get myself in trouble by trying to explain and get them to do something. Any words/phrases I should use or stay away from? Help.

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Once they submit the claim to your insurance with the right details, your insurance might reject it because it’s late. Then, the hospital might bill you again, hoping you’ll cover their error. You’ll need to firmly state that the late billing isn’t your fault and likely speak to higher-ups in the hospital’s billing department until someone takes responsibility.