Consumer complaint received 2018-08-03
Company: Medical Data Systems, Inc.
State: AR
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
In XX/XX/XXXX, I began a very lengthy XXXX XXXX brought on by non-compliance with my XXXX XXXX and XXXX medication and XXXX. In XXXX, I found myself XXXX, unemployed, and trying to survive believing my loving family didnt want anything to do with me ( a symptom of the psychosis ), which was actually completely false, which I would find out later. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, I was fishing with a friend at night on a jetty which isnt a great idea, as it did not take me long to fall. The friend took me to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, where quite a number of XXXX, XXXX XXXX, and God knows what else. I was clear with the admitting folks that I was broke, XXXX, and uninsured, completely indigent. 

Im happy to report no life-threatening injuries were revealed in the test. As I was lying in the ER in pain, my friend signed all the admiring and billing paperwork, which I knew nothing about until I received copies of that earlier this year when I learned a {$9.00} medical dent in collections was on my credit report. I realize I was treated that night to the best of their ability. Treated for a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  and some XXXX XXXX, However, regardless of the diagnosis, I was crystal clear that I was uninsured and unemployed and in no way could afford an ER bill. No patient financial services personnel ever showed up at my bedside that night and I was released. 

I am very stable right now, and have been for some time. I am a XXXX  and married to a wonderful man. I am XXXX and awaiting some financial assistance from SSA I pray, as I can no longer work, as my symptoms and side effects are much to deal with. Earlier this year, as I began trying to pick up the pieces of my life after over a year of being XXXX, I began a project working on my credit, You van image my surprise when I saw the collection entry that the hospital had placed with a collection agency called XXXX XXXX. I wrote the company asking for validation and they sent me paperwork regarding my stay in the ER that night, signed my someone else, after I told them I was indigent. I have also reached out to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, when I was told they couldnt help me, because I had waited too long to qualify for any financial assistance programs. Waited too long? I contacted them as soon as it was discovered. 

Finally, I just want this off of my credit report, because in do not owe this debt. I was very clear that I would be unable to pay anything on the night it occurred and I am unable to do so now. This is a sick way to try to make money off of unsuspecting people who are in a bad position going through XXXX   already.

Please help with this. I dont know where else to turn and I am not waiting six or more years for this to go away. I am trying to get my life together, and no one, the hospital or the collector will do anything to forgive and remove this erroneous debt. It is astounding. They are like modern day thieves the way they do business. I guess that tells the story anyway. When hospitals became publicly traded businesses instead of care givers, this is what we get.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation