Consumer complaint received 2016-10-26
Company: Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc., Elmsford, NY Branch
State: NV
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical
Issue: Improper contact or sharing of info
Sub-issue: Talked to a third party about my debt

Complaint:
I received a bill from American Medical Collection Agency ( AMCA ) on XXXX XXXX, XXXX for {$25.00} for services by XXXX XXXX XXXX. The issue with this bill is that my insurance provider at the time, Nevada XXXX is in Receivership. Had my insurance provider not been in Receivership I would have had a zero co-pay for laboratory services. This was communicated to XXXX XXXX XXXX and they are well aware that under the Permanent Receivership, " The XXXX will focus initial efforts on two parallel goals : ( 1 ) avoiding disruption in the delivery of health care to the Enrollees for the period that they are entitled to receive such care from XXXX ( ending no later than XXXX XXXX, XXXX ), and ( 2 ) maximizing payment to Providers and creditors for services rendered initially during the receivership period ( which commenced on XXXX XXXX, XXXX ) and thereafter for amounts owed for services rendered before that date. 

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU CONTINUE PROVIDING HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO ENROLLEES ON THE SAME BASIS AS BEFORE, WITHOUT CHARGING ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS OR REJECTING REQUESTS FOR APPOINTMENTS OR HEALTH CARE SERVICES. 

Specifically, the Permanent Receivership Order provides at pages XXXX and XXXX : All providers of health care services, including but not limited to physicians hospitals, other licensed medical practitioners, patient care facilities, diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, pharmaceutical companies or managers, and any other entity which has provided or agreed to provide health care services to members or enrollees of XXXX, directly or indirectly, pursuant to any contract, agreement or arrangement to do so directly with XXXX or with any other organization that had entered into a contract, agreement, or arrangement for that purpose with XXXX are hereby permanently enjoined and restrained from : Seeking payment from any such member or enrollee for amount owed by XXXX ; Interrupting or discontinuing the delivery of health care services to such members or enrollees during the period for which they have paid ( or because of a grace period have the right to pay ) the required premium to XXXX except as authorized by the Receiver or as expressly provided in any such contract or agreement with XXXX that does not violate applicable law ; Seeking additional or unauthorized payment from such XXXX members or enrollees for health care services required to be provided by such agreements, arrangements, or contracts beyond the payments authorized by the agreements, arrangements, or contracts to be collected from such members or enrollees ; and Interfering in any manner with the efforts of the Receiver to assure that XXXX members and enrollees in good standing receive the health care services to which they are contractually entitled. '' Thus, as Ordered in the Permanent Receivership, it is unlawful to attempt to collect ANY amount owed by the XXXX 

Finally, XXXX XXXX XXXX was attempting to collect for DISALLOWED charges ( venipuncture/phlebotomy fee ), otherwise known as charges that are generally assumed to correlate with laboratory charges and are thus DISALLOWED BY ANY AND ALL INSURANCE PROVIDERS. 

I was told after calling XXXX XXXX XXXX for the FIFTH time regarding the illegality of their continued attempts to collect on disallowed charges/charges belonging to an entity in receivership that I WOULD NOT be bothered again and that I WOULD NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AMOUNT AS IT IS NOT MY DEBT. 

American Medical Collection Agency is engaging in illegal collection activity solely to collect minute debts belonging to an insurance agency in PERMANENT RECEIVERSHIP. I am not legally liable for this amount and they must remove this from my credit profiles and refrain from attempting to collect from any and all balances Nevada XXXX is responsible for.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation