Consumer complaint received 2023-04-14
Company: Hollis Cobb Associates
State: CA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive enough information to verify debt

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, i went to XXXX XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX  ) for emergency services. I was insured by XXXX and the hospital is in network. In the next few months, i received official, paper bills for the visit from various healthcare companies involved with the service. I received bills from the XXXX company and the doctor who saw me, which i paid in full. 

I have never received a bill from XXXX XXXX XXXX  at XXXX XXXX. According to my insurance i should have been billed for {$1700.00}. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I received a collections notice in the mail from Patient Accounts Bureau  ( XXXX XXXX XXXX - it looks like they are a part of Hollis Cobb ) stating they are a debt collector that is trying to collect what I owed the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX - called XXXX XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX, they directed me to their billing department at XXXX XXXX XXXX. I would later find out this division is run by XXXX XXXX - XXXX did not provide me with a website as reference when asked. 
- got XXXX P. on the phone - she confirmed they sent my bill to collections - they claim they tried sending me a paper bill on XX/XX/XXXX, but the mail was returned - she told me my mailing address in their records was incorrect, missing the apt number, which is probably why the billing mail bounced- I have USPS informed delivery, they scan and email me pictures of all my mail. I did not see anything that would resemble a bill from XXXX XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX. 
- I requested XXXX work with the collections agency to have my debt pulled back and then properly bill me, XXXX said she has escalated my ask, but would not cc me on the email as it was an 'internal communication ' - I also reached out to Patient Accounts Bureau to dispute the debt electronically. i followed the instructions on their collections letter ( see attached ) and have attached my outbound dispute emails. I would like to note here that they never responded to my requests for the name and address of the original creditor. I disputed the claim well within the 30 day window of letter receipt. 

XX/XX/XXXX - XXXX XXXX. 
- I did not hear back from XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX at XXXX XXXX or XXXX  XXXX  for two weeks, so i call again- I asked about my outstanding balance, XXXX said 'no balance ' - was unable to tell me if the bill was pulled back from debt collector - XXXX promised to send an email follow up and + paper bill. I did end up receiving an itemized list of care i received. it was NOT a bill stating how much i owed ( attached ) XX/XX/XXXX - XXXX XXXX. 
- I call back again, XXXX stated a bill was coming. sent XXXX - On the collections escalation she said she'd call me and the case had been escalated. typically takes 14-30 days - i never received a bill, email, or a phone call. Ever. 

XX/XX/XXXX - XXXX XXXX. 
- I inquire about the status of my account again - was told a supervisor would call me back within XXXX XX/XX/XXXX - XXXX XXXX XXXX 
- supervisor never returned my call despite XXXX telling me they would call me within 24hrs - my collections issue was apparently escalated to their 'leads ' but never resolved. XXXX is able to see the case history - XXXX said the bill is still with Patient Accounts Bureau - XXXX then told me there was nothing they could do for me and to call the hospital or the collections agency - She gave me this number for the hospital : XXXX XXXX XXXX that number ended up being the hospital internal IT helpdesk hotline XXXX XXXX ( Patient Accounts Bureau ) - i call the debt collection agency directly- they claim never received anything from the hospital regarding pulling the debt back- they validate they saw my emails and confirmed they never responded to me- said they would follow up with me to confirm owner of debt XXXX XXXX. 
- I called hospital back and got XXXX XXXX ( same one from XX/XX/XXXX ) back on the phone by coincidence - she recommended i send a paper letter to dispute the bill being sent to collections to the following XXXX XXXX XXXX ATTN : XXXX XXXX XXXX Patient Accounts XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Delaware XXXX- I will be sending a certified mail, including all the details i have provided here. I would like to note they never gave me this as an option in the four months i've been speaking with them. 

XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX at XXXX XXXX send my debt to collections incorrectly. They did not seek to contact me outside of an alleged bounced mail. When confronted, they have kicked me around the call center for three months and refuse to take action to rectify the situation. 

Patient Accounts Bureau did not respond to my dispute in a timely manner. 

I still don't know who I should pay.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation