Consumer complaint received 2022-05-02
Company: Medical Business Bureau
State: IL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged

Complaint:
Medical Business Bureau working as an agent of Illinois XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX violated Illinois law concerning debt collections ; by sending my bill to collections before 30 days from the statement date. 

According to XXXX XXXX Department, my bill was sent to Collections on XX/XX/XXXX, from a Statement dated XX/XX/XXXX. According to XXXX from MBB, my bill was sent to Collections on XX/XX/XXXX. 

Both dates violated 210 ILCS 88/30 ( b ). The Statement given to me on XX/XX/XXXX, threatens please submit payment of {$310.00} by XX/XX/XXXX to avoid collections.. XX/XX/XXXX, also violates the pertinent statute. The earliest date to comply with the law would have been XX/XX/XXXX ; the same day I paid it, by my own due diligence. 

I called my healthcare provider on XX/XX/XXXX, to make sure I owed the amount of XXXX from a Service Date of XX/XX/XXXX with Illinois XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX ; after receiving the Explanation of Benefits. 

I again called my healthcare provider on XX/XX/XXXX to find out why I was being charged an extra {$10.00} for copies of my X-rays that should have been included in the {$320.00} bill. 

I spoke with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, to request copies of my x-rays. My husband picked up a CD of my x-rays on XX/XX/XXXX ; paid ten dollars and received a receipt. 

I waited for a bill from XXXX -- -never received a bill in the mail. On XX/XX/XXXX, I had a doctors appointment in the same building where XXXX is located ; decided I would pay the bill in person while I was there. Spoke to the staff at the desk about paying the bill ; and was informed that the bill had been sent to collections.I was stunned and the staff person stated that she didnt know why the bill would have been sent to collections. She printed out a billing statement and advised me to contact the Billing Department ; that I shouldnt pay the bill in person. 

I called XXXX Billing Department on XX/XX/XXXX ; and spoke to XXXX. I explained that I never received a bill in the mail and was told that the system indicated that a statement had been sent to me. I reiterated that I hadnt received the bill ; that whomever was responsible for sending the bill made a mistake ; and requested an explanation as to why the bill was sent to Collections and why it was sent so fast. Further, the statement that was given to me had the wrong address. 

I paid the bill in full with XXXX using a credit card. XXXX advised me to call Medical Business Bureau with the Payment Confirmation Number. 

I called MBB, spoke with XXXX, and he insulted me by stating that when I received the Explanation of BenefitsI was put on notice that I owed the {$320.00} and that I should have made arrangements to pay it immediately without receiving a bill from XXXX. XXXX stated the bill was sent to Collections on XX/XX/XXXX. I informed XXXX that not only hadnt I received a bill in the mail, but the statement that was given to me had the wrong address -- -plus upon further inspection of my Medical Summary from XXXX from the Service Date of XX/XX/XXXX, the summary had the wrong address and the wrong phone number. 

XXXX asked for my phone number -- -when I questioned why he needed my phone number -- XXXX said that if I hadnt actually paid the bill that MBB would need to call me back. I am giving this person the Confirmation Number that I received from XXXX Billing -- -that wasnt enough and I was made to feel like a deadbeat. 

My time is precious and I do not appreciate having to spend so much time researching debt collection laws ; making calls to the XXXX Billing Department and Medical Business Bureau Debt Collector ; wasting time going to physically pay a bill -- -only to find out it was sent to Collections erroneously. 

Medical Business Bureau should suffer some consequences for putting me through the wringer. Medical Business Bureau should know chapter and verse about debt collection laws.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation