Consumer complaint received 2019-03-07
Company: Overton, Russell, Doerr and Donovan, LLP
State: NY
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
I received a medical bill from XXXX XXXX in XXXX that I believed to be in error. I have a medical history of hypercholesterolemia and hypothyroid. These medical conditions require me to get blood work done yearly. I have never paid anything more than {$20.00} for the bloodwork. 

When I received the bill I called my medical provider and explained the situation. She stated, it must have been coded incorrectly, Ill take care of it. I received 2 more bills in XXXX and called the medical office both times. Each time they said they would call and take care of it. The last communication about this issue was in XXXX, XXXX. I never heard anything more about it. I assumed it was resolved. 

As of the end of XX/XX/XXXX, the medical provider closed their office and moved to another office, not affiliated with the same hospital. My medical records did not move with her and I had to find another doctor. 

Fast forward to XXXX, XXXX. I started receiving a bill for {$190.00} from a company called XXXX. I admit I did not call this company as I thought it was odd I was receiving a bill for something that was supposed to be taken care of in XXXX. As I started repeatedly getting bills, I called the company in XXXX of XXXX. They would not do anything and demanded that I pay the bill. 

I then called the insurance company and talked with them. They looked into it and admitted it looked like a coding error. They tried to contact XXXX XXXX, and got nowhere with them. The hospital billing department refused to look into the situation. The rep from XXXX XXXX XXXX suggested I enlist the help of a 3rd party company that my company uses for these situation, XXXX XXXX. 

I started communication with them in XX/XX/XXXX. There communication with me was sporadic and I never really got any resolution. See below. 

On XX/XX/XXXX a letter was drafted by a law from by the name of Overton , Russell , Doerr and Donovan , LLP. I sent a letter to them on XX/XX/XXXX stating that I was not admitting to this debt and I was working with the 3rd party XXXX XXXX. I asked them to take no further action. I also followed up with a phone call. The woman on the phone stated they were not acting as a debt collector ; they were actually acting as the lawyers for XXXX XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX a letter written by the law firm was sent to me stating the debt was due. I gave this information to XXXX XXXX. On XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX told me they were in the process of contacting the law firm. 

I heard nothing more from anyone. I happened to check my credit report on XX/XX/XXXX. It was on this date that I noticed they put this as a negative remark on my credit report. 

I contacted the law from the next day and inquired why this was done. They told me they heard nothing from XXXX XXXX. I paid the bill in full at this time as I did not want this derogatory remark on my records. Lastly, they told me it is not in their policy to reverse this on a credit report. 

I immediately emailed XXXX XXXX and updated them on what was going on. They are unable to speak with anyone at the law firm and they are refusing to do anything about it. 

In conclusion, I still believe this bill was in error and was due to incorrect coding. I believe it is an act of fraud, as the hospital refused to look into the situation. I received bills in XXXX and then nothing again until XXXX, XXXX?! I tried to resolve the issue and gave all the paperwork all the companies requested, yet I got nowhere. I was forced to pay a bill I still believe to be in error, and more importantly I was sent into collections over this and it negatively affected my credit. I take my credit very seriously and if you were to review my credit, you will notice I have paid every bill on time. I am in the process of purchasing a house and I dont need this screwing up my credit. I have contacted both companies ( the law firm and XXXX XXXX ) and am getting nowhere

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation