Consumer complaint received 2020-01-20
Company: Community Health Investment Company, LLC.
State: AL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Communication tactics
Sub-issue: You told them to stop contacting you, but they keep trying

Complaint:
I had an emergency room visit and my health insurance did not pay all of the amount. 
- I have a family member who is a XXXX, XXXX XXXX. She was going to try and reach some agreement with the hospital and the two other medical practices that are billing me. She spoke with XXXX XXXX, located at this number ( XXXX ) XXXX, which is the location of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, AL on XX/XX/2019. She requested the Medicare codes for each billed item. He would not provide this. She explained to him that I could not possibly pay {$8800.00} because I had just started to work after a number of years of unemployment. He offered to spread the bill over thirty-six months. Ms. XXXX told Mr. XXXX she would look at my income and expenses and be back in touch with him within thirty days to inform him of what I could pay. He told her that bankruptcy was probably my best course of action. 
- However, Mr. XXXX didn't wait anytime until he turned the account over to a collection agency, Professional Account Services, P. O. Box, XXXX, TN XXXX. I sent them a letter letting them know that a XXXX, XXXX XXXX was going to be contacting them for some additional information. The letter was sent on XX/XX/2019, to the address In XXXX, TN and they signed for this letter on XX/XX/2019. 
- Ms. XXXX contacted them by phone but they wouldn't provide any information that she requested. 
- Within, a couple of weeks based on my income and expenses we determined a monthly amount and the number of months that I could pay for the hospital bill. We sent the offer to the XXXX, TN address listed above. 
-What I received was a letter from Past Collectively Different, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX , TN XXXX. It read " We are in receipt of your dispute letter regarding the above referenced amount, which was {$8800.00}. We have verified with our client that the charges are true and correct. Please contact our Customer Service Department at XXXX to discuss arrangements. Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) Section 14 usc 1692g, we have met the provisions set forth to validate this debt. ". I HAD NEVER DISPUTED THE CHARGE IN ANY CONVERSATIONS OR WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE HOSPITAL OR COLLECTION AGENCIES. 
- My complaint is that the collection agency refused to accept or even respond to my offer made to them. Rather than respond to the letter of offer sent to the XXXX address, they sent my account to another office for collection, This was obviously done to keep the collection process going. 
-My financial situation was not one of my own making. I lived in a town in XXXX Alabama, which had been a manufacturing town. However, the recession caused more and more companies to leave the area each year. Unfortunately,, I was tied to that area because I owned a house and could not sell or rent it. I was finally able to move and became employed in the last quarter ofXX/XX/2019. 
- I need the collection agency to consider the offer I made and to quit sending my account to other branches so they can continue the threatening letters.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation