Hospital threatening to send me to collections for not paying while my financial assistance application is still processing?

[u/air-sign-dominant]

Hi guys,

I went to an Ascension urgent care last October to get a splint put on what I had just found out was a broken wrist. I got a bill for $400 after insurance. It isn’t a lot, but I had JUST started a new job in a new city after graduation and didn’t have any money after moving, so I applied for financial aid. I got approved at the main hospital I went to for surgery, physical therapy, etc for 90% assistance. However, ascension had a separate, complicated application process that involved printing out multiple forms, compiling documentation and mailing it to them.

I sent out my application in early December. However, I kept getting “bill overdue” emails from them so I just called them to make sure it had been received and processed. They told me it had been processed Jan 10th and I could expect a decision after 60 days of that, but that they recommended I start making payments because otherwise they would send me to collections after the next billing statement (it’s the 4th one I received so far)

Is this allowed? I feel like it doesn’t make sense to make me make payments before I even know how much I will end up owing. Will they actually send me to collections so early? I had another hospital bill from 2022 that didn’t threaten collections until literally 2 years later (long story, I changed addresses and they didn’t do electronic statements)

[u/Turbulent_Summer6177]

Well, unless and until assistance is actually approved, you owe the entire bill.

I would ask if there is any way to determine what the assistance may cover and have you pay on that until the official decisions comes through?

[u/air-sign-dominant → u/Turbulent_Summer6177]

I asked about that, he just kept saying I would have to wait until the decision is made. I’m just confused because the past 2 places I’ve applied to for financial aid froze my bill payments until the application was either accepted or rejected.

[u/ElleGee5152 → u/air-sign-dominant]

That is so odd to me. My office accepts financial assistance through the hospital for ER physician bills and we delay the transfer to collections long enough for the application to be processed (if we're made aware one is in the works). It's such a simple fix.

[u/Environmental-Top-60 → u/ElleGee5152]

Exactly

[u/Turbulent_Summer6177 → u/air-sign-dominant]

Understandable but it’s not unlawful to collect on the debt.

The time for a decision is coming soon so maybe try to stall a bit longer or start negotiating a payment plan. You should be able to draw that out for a week or two and hopefully by then you’ll hear about he assistance.

[u/a_ne_31 → u/Turbulent_Summer6177]

I would NOT start paying or agree to payments.

[u/Turbulent_Summer6177 → u/a_ne_31]

Why? It appears op has incurred a debt. He’s not disputing that.

[u/a_ne_31 → u/Turbulent_Summer6177]

Because op doesn’t know the exact amount they owe yet, if anything. Agreeing to a payment plan with a total balance locks them in.

[u/[deleted] → u/a_ne_31]

?? What do you mean that they don’t know the exact amount? If the insurance doesn’t cover X amount that means that the patient owes the money.???

[u/a_ne_31 → u/[deleted]]

Can you read? They’re awaiting an allotment of financial aid.

[u/[deleted] → u/a_ne_31]

Then they should have held the statements if thats the case

[u/Environmental-Top-60 → u/Turbulent_Summer6177]

Because charity care as required by the IRS could write the whole thing off then they’d have to refund.

[u/Turbulent_Summer6177 → u/Environmental-Top-60]

Did you even read what wrote? I would guess not.