I visited my local Urgent Care last month, and the front desk told me my visit would be processed through insurance, followed by a bill. I never received the bill, but this morning I got a collection notice from Medicredit for $20, saying the payment was due on June 24th. I checked my mail on June 27th before leaving town, and the letter hadn’t arrived yet. It looks like Urgent Care sent my bill straight to collections instead of billing me first.
I’m really upset because this is my first time dealing with collections, and it could hurt my credit. Aren’t there rules about waiting before sending bills to collections? Shouldn’t they contact me or send a bill first?
The office is closed today, and I’m worried. What should I do?