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/Magentacabinet]

Call them and let them know that you are waiting for a decision on the financial assistance. Let them know that you would be willing to make a payment arrangement while you wait for the decision. They are more likely to work with you when you are in contact with them. Let them know you can only afford $5 a month and that the financial assistance can take up to 60.

Do not let it go to collections. Most of the time collections is done by a 3rd party and you can't get it pulled back once it is sent.

[u/MaeQueenofFae → u/Magentacabinet]

Actually, it can be pulled back from collections. Most of the time Management simply doesn’t want to do so, because that is an admission that they screwed up.

[u/Magentacabinet → u/MaeQueenofFae]

It can't if it's gone to a 3rd party. If it is an in-house collections it can. Because once it has been sent to collections that debt has already been sold.