Consumer complaint received 2022-11-01
Company: American Credit Systems, Inc
State: GA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive enough information to verify debt

Complaint:
YOUR COMPLAINT Back in XXXX of XXXX I lived in the suburbs of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX ). I had XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX. Up until the date of XX/XX/XXXX, I did not receive any out of pocket bills regarding my XX/XX/XXXX XXXX. On the Date of XX/XX/XXXX, I moved my entire family to XXXXXXXX XXXX Just prior to the move I put in at the USPS a permanent change of address for the residential move. Even after the 1yr change of address forwarding period was up, I paid for an additional 6 months of mail forwarding for the entire family for good measure. Fast forward to XXXX of XXXX. I receive a call from the billing department of XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX concerning an outstanding bill for the XXXX performed in XXXX of XXXX. I was informed that I owed a patient responsibly portion for the XXXX of {$570.00}. They were adamant that day, that I pay the balance immediately over the phone. I informed them that I would not pay the balance until I had a current billing statement reflecting the unpaid charges from that XXXX 2.5 years ago. I told them that once I receive the statement, I would set up a payment plan with them if the charges were warranted against all paid XXXX XXXX portions. After receiving the billing statement Dated XX/XX/XXXX for the amount of {$570.00}, I proceed to call the XXXX billing department to offer a cash payment of {$350.00} to settle the bill in full. They denied my offer, and stated that I am to pay the full amount of {$570.00}. I then told them I could not afford the full amount at this time and that I need to make monthly payments to satisfy the full bill. They proceed to tell me that they made multiple attempts to contact me regarding the unpaid portion of my balance over the years and that I must pay the full amount NOW! I told them that could not be the case with them, because I never changed my phone number in 10 years and last month is the first time you have ever attempted to contact me via my cell number regarding this bill for 2.5 years. I also informed them that I did not receive a forwarded bill in the mail or a statement since the date of the Initial XXXX that when I did my mail forwarding the USPS would send me a photo copy of any and all mail being forwarded to me via an email link from them ( The USPS ). The billing office personnel would not listen to or hear anything I had to say regarding working with me to come up with a reasonable structured payment plan, and the conversation got heated. I told them I am willing to pay but could not satisfy the Full bill in its entirety with one payment and the conversation ended there. Then on XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX, I received a letter from ( American Credit Systems Inc. ) A Debt Collector for the XXXX XXXX XXXX that NOW I OWE {$830.00} for the same services performed in XX/XX/XXXX. An increase of {$250.00} from the original XXXX bill of {$570.00}. Immediately after receiving the debt collection bill, I was called by the debt collection company and told I needed to pay the new amount. I refused the new amount and said I could pay the original and not a XXXX more but told them I could not pay the full requested amount that I needed to make installment payments. In closing, I'm willing to pay the full original amount of the XXXX bill but do not feel that I should now be penalized for attempting to work with them to come up with an installment plan to pay the original amount of {$570.00}. After all they are still getting what is owed them but I was not financially prepared to pay the entire bill in full at the moment and would need time. Can you please help me with this Medical Billing Issue? Thanks, XXXX XXXX ATTACHMENTS XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation