advertisement
Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
Anonymous50123
Guest
Anonymous50123 has no updates. Edit
 
Posts: n/a
Trig Dec 19, 2016 at 12:15 PM
  #1
The hospital I went to back in 2013 is suing me for having not paid my bills since then...

I am hardly working and I don't make any money to pay them back. I haven't been purposely not paying, the bills were made before I had a job and before I had medical assistance, so clearly I do owe them...

But the bills are over $1000, I don't make that much, I would make $1000 in like six months and that's only if I didn't spend my paycheck on anything else.

I was already feeling somewhat depressed before all of this started, and now I feel it even more so. I can't afford to pay these bills, I would have to go without food for six months to pay them back in full. It's -26F and there's about 8 inches of snow on the ground, my only pair of winter boots have a hole and I was hoping to spend some money on a new pair of boots...

I guess winter will just have to stay cold for me.

If I am dead, would I still have to pay for the bills?
  Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
Anonymous50909, Anonymous55397, bornunderabadsign, Rose76, Takeshi, tear_drop, unaluna, Unrigged64072835

advertisement
Anonymous55397
Guest
Anonymous55397 has no updates. Edit
 
Posts: n/a
Default Dec 19, 2016 at 12:17 PM
  #2
Hi Kori,

Big bills stink. Have you called the hospital and asked if you could be put on some sort of payment plan? I have done that for overdue bills of my own. I'll offer to pay, for example, $50 a week until the debt is paid off, or however much I can afford.
  Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
tear_drop
Member
 
tear_drop's Avatar
tear_drop http://www.mental.org.uk/
 
Member Since: Mar 2012
Location: england
Posts: 42
10 yr Member
9 hugs
given
Default Dec 19, 2016 at 03:25 PM
  #3
Surely they can't make you pay it all in one go, This is mental!

Surely they would understand if you can pay so much off a month.
tear_drop is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
TishaBuv
Legendary
TishaBuv It’s mostly them, and somewhat me.
 
Member Since: Dec 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 10,122 (SuperPoster!)
8 yr Member
1,857 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 19, 2016 at 03:41 PM
  #4
I don't think they will really sue you for only $1000 because their attorney fees would cost them more. I think they are just threatening you. I'm sorry when you are vulnerable, you get kicked when you're down. You can offer for pay them a small amount monthly. Even $5

__________________
"And don't say it hasn't been a little slice of heaven, 'cause it hasn't!"
. About Me--T
TishaBuv is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Rose76
Legendary
 
Rose76's Avatar
Rose76 Treading water.
 
Member Since: Mar 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 12,404 (SuperPoster!)
10 yr Member
5,302 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 20, 2016 at 02:55 AM
  #5
Tisha might well be right. This might all be a bluff. credit card company (Barcley's) threatened to sue me and even had me served with legal notice. Then they never followed through. (That's actually illegal . . . at least for c.c. companies.)

I owed a hospital $5000 that I never paid. Nothing came of it.

Most hospitals have a program for persons in financial hardship. I didn't even bother with all the paperwork that entails. I just wrote them a letter saying I would not be paying.

Is it actually the hospital still contacting you? They may have turned the debt over to a collecting agency by now. Those folks try to intimidate and shame you. Ignore them. Just say you haven't got the money. Look up what is the statute of limitations for debt in your state. This debt will eventually go away.
Rose76 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
Takeshi
Anonymous45521
Guest
Anonymous45521 has no updates. Edit
 
Posts: n/a
Default Dec 20, 2016 at 06:04 AM
  #6
It is a bluff. You should represent yourself "pro se" and have a grand old time dragging this out. But you cannot get blood from a stone. A lot of the collection agencys and lawyers try to make you think something bad is going to happen to you but it won't. You might have something on your credit report. But that is it.

Also, check your state's laws. Hospital services are "contract" in nature and sometimes they are barred by Statute of Limitations which sometimes can be three years (they could be suing you how because they have to preserve their rights).
  Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
Rose76
Anonymous50005
Guest
Anonymous50005 has no updates. Edit
 
Posts: n/a
Default Dec 20, 2016 at 08:56 AM
  #7
It may not even actually be the hospital suing. A debt that old has probably been sold off to a collection agency and it is a collection agency trying to collect the debt. (Oh, I see someone else already mentioned that.) They fact is that they probably bought the debt for pennies on the dollar and will probably be quite willing to reduce the amount and/or work out a payment plan if you want to try to pay it, but I wouldn't fret too much about trying to come up with the whole amount in one lump sum.
  Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Rose76
Legendary
 
Rose76's Avatar
Rose76 Treading water.
 
Member Since: Mar 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 12,404 (SuperPoster!)
10 yr Member
5,302 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 20, 2016 at 01:23 PM
  #8
When I was broke, I got a hospital bill for $5000. I soon was on SSDI. I can't afford to pay it. I never did.

There is a statute of limitations on debt (at least, every state in the USA has one.) Check yours out. Eventually this debt will go away.

Do not deprive yourself of basic necessities (and even a few non-essentials) to pay this. Do try to get on Medicaid, if you can - for future needs.
Rose76 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Misssy2
Grand Member
Misssy2 Recovering Again
 
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Providence, RI
Posts: 807
5 yr Member
86 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 20, 2016 at 07:00 PM
  #9
Its a bill collector...trust me..I have had this happen many times...When I was young....I smashed into a telephone pole, rushed in ambulance...etc...and they sent me bills and warnings for 5 years...even if they ever took me to court I would not go..and then they "win"..but I had nothing to give.

My son had open heart..and I owed alot more than 1000.....I threw away all the bills all the time...I'm still here.

In the future if I ever need the hospital....and I don't have the $...I'm going....and not worrying about the bills.

I would throw it away..and don't worry about it.
Misssy2 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
Rose76
Rose76
Legendary
 
Rose76's Avatar
Rose76 Treading water.
 
Member Since: Mar 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 12,404 (SuperPoster!)
10 yr Member
5,302 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 21, 2016 at 04:14 AM
  #10
Time passing by can be your friend. It gets you closer to the day when the statute of limitations makes the debt uncollectible (specifically: not subject to a court judgement.) I'm assuming you are in the USA. (My impression is that the rest of the civilized world gives poor people healthcare cost-free.) But, if you decide someday to send in a payment, you start the clock ticking all over again.

On the phone, you may be hearing things like, "So how can we get this resolved TODAY?" Don't get shook up by any of these verbal tactics. Stay relaxed. Say "I am unable to make a payment. Perhaps my circumstances will improve. For now, they are what they are." In the USA there is no law that says you have to talk to anyone on the phone about debts. If anyone stresses you, just say you got to go . . . and hang up. With the income you are describing, I wouldn't pay a penny.

If you get sued, you don't even have to show up at court. That means you lose the decision by default. But all that means - as I understand it - is that the judge will say, "Yes, this is a legitimate debt and Kori A. does owe this money." That doesn't automatically mean the judge will issue a ruling that your bank account can be raided, or your wages garnished. Don't go leaving a thousand dollars sitting in a bank account, but I doubt you do.

As said above, it is unlikely whoever is trying to collect is going to pay legal fees to take you to court. Just do keep telling them how small your income is. That will discourage them.
Rose76 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
MtnTime2896
Chat Moderator
 
MtnTime2896's Avatar
MtnTime2896 is down in the forest.
 
Member Since: Feb 2016
Location: Doing donuts in the parking lot
Posts: 4,270
8 yr Member
10k hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 21, 2016 at 04:30 AM
  #11
I'm in a similar situation and I'm ignoring them. I have been for six months and still seeing if it will go to court. We'll see. Either way, I can't pay it. Even if I do go to court, I'll tell the judge the same thing: I don't have a job, an income, I don't receive government assistance and I'm technically homeless. What the hell do you want me to do? I'm lucky enough to have a roof over my head because of soon to be in-laws. My fiance doesn't make enough money to cover this ****. I can't afford to lose a penny.

Basically what I'm saying, if you can't pay, then you can't pay. Ain't much they can really do.

__________________
"Give him his freedom and he'll remember his humanity."
MtnTime2896 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
Rose76
Yoda
who reads this, anyway?
 
Yoda's Avatar
Yoda has no updates.
 
Member Since: Oct 2006
Location: Appalachia
Posts: 9,968
15 yr Member PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 21, 2016 at 05:16 AM
  #12
You should contact the hospital directly to discuss your options. The hospitals in my area provide what is referred to as 'charity care' for low income/uninsured clients. Ask if you are eligible for that to reduce the amount you owe them.

If that doesn't work you can still work out a payment arrangement and those don't accrue interest like credit cards do. I owed several thousand dollars (now <$1000). The hospital is willing to accept payment of $25/month. It works for them and it works for me and also helps my credit score.

__________________
The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well. anonymous
Yoda is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Anonymous50123
Guest
Anonymous50123 has no updates. Edit
 
Posts: n/a
Default Dec 31, 2016 at 10:09 AM
  #13
I just wanted to thank everyone for replying

Also I wanted to update this thread
I have since called the number on the summons and have set up payment arrangements for the bill.

So I will be paying that off as soon as I can.
Thanks for the advice and information everyone
  Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
Anonymous50909, MtnTime2896, RainyDay107, Rose76
 
Thanks for this!
Rose76
RainyDay107
Grand Member
 
RainyDay107's Avatar
RainyDay107 is in a Small Space . . .
 
Member Since: Feb 2017
Location: M
Posts: 989
5 yr Member
2,452 hugs
given
Default Feb 21, 2017 at 09:39 PM
  #14
I've made tiny payments for hospital bills when my finances are tight (I'm disabled so very I tied income).

The hospitals have let me pay just $10 a month toward a $1,500 bill, for example. The main thing is to not ignore them. Get in touch with billing and ask about sending small payments.
RainyDay107 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
RainyDay107
Grand Member
 
RainyDay107's Avatar
RainyDay107 is in a Small Space . . .
 
Member Since: Feb 2017
Location: M
Posts: 989
5 yr Member
2,452 hugs
given
Default Mar 13, 2017 at 02:54 AM
  #15
I'm glad they are working with you. Take care.
RainyDay107 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:52 PM.
Powered by vBulletin® — Copyright © 2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.



 

My Support Forums

My Support Forums is the online community that was originally begun as the Psych Central Forums in 2001. It now runs as an independent self-help support group community for mental health, personality, and psychological issues and is overseen by a group of dedicated, caring volunteers from around the world.

 

Helplines and Lifelines

The material on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider.

Always consult your doctor or mental health professional before trying anything you read here.