Consumer complaint received 2018-08-01
Company: State Collection Service, Inc.
State: WI
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged

Complaint:
In XX/XX/XXXX my XXXX, Dr. XXXX, assigned me to monthly XXXX  sessions with a licenced certified XXXX, XXXX XXXX, at the University of XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX. I was insured by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Insurance Company. 
In XX/XX/XXXX I became eligible for Medicare. I chose XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for my Medicare supplemental insurance. 
In XX/XX/XXXX, unbeknown to me, Medicare refused to cover my XXXX sessions because, I later found, Ms. XXXX did not have an XXXX. or XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX did not inform of this. In addition, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX supplemental insurance had refused to pay 20 % of my coverage because, they claimed, Medicare would not pay the 80 %. I was not informed of this either. 
Nor did XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX inform me that, as of XX/XX/XXXX, the price of XXXX visits with Ms. XXXX increased from {$220.00} per visit to {$350.00}, a 65 % increase. 
When I finally understood what happened, I requested that XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX assign to me a XXXX XXXX who was qualified under Medicare. By this time my bill was {$2700.00}. XXXX XXXX claimed that their organization did not have the capacity to inform Medicare patients about the necessary requirements under Medicare for service reimbursement. Nor did they notify me of the 65 % price increase, knowledge that would have helped me make an informed choice for an alternative, less costly service provider and avoid debt. 
I also pointed out to them inconsistencies in the attached billing record. For example, from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX a XXXX  visit cost {$340.00}. In contrast, from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX a XXXX visit cost {$220.00}. Then a reversal. On XX/XX/XXXX a XXXX visit cost {$340.00} and on XX/XX/XXXX it cost {$350.00}. The billing department could not explain this, nor did they assume any responsibility for it. 
Last, I am under qualified for partial financial assistance through the XXXX XXXX XXXX because I own my own home. I found that one nearly needs to be a pauper for financial assistance. They denied any responsibility for the untoward chain of events and flatly refused to negotiate an equitable resolution. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, my medical bill was referred to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, WI. I contacted and explained everything to them, but they too refused to fairly negotiate a resolution or allow any monthly payment plan. I was told that the entire amount was due in a lump sum. It was suggested that I should take out a second mortgage on my home to pay this debt. I was told that if I did not comply with their terms, the entire bill would go on my credit record and they would continue to seek reimbursement. 
My credit record has been above average for many years, and, at my age, it means everything to me. I hope to replace my thirty-year ARM to a fixed mortgage loan in the future but will not be able to do so under this burden. 
Can you please help me?

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation