Consumer complaint received 2015-12-14
Company: PDQ Services, Inc.
State: GA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not mine

Complaint:
I am being held jointly responsible for a medical debt that the parent did not pay, after I brought their child to the doctor, and I should not be. PDQ is saying, when I checked the child in, I provided my name and signed a contractual agreement, which is the financial policy, and I am responsible for paying. I agree that I did sign my name to the contract, but that contract is the attached financial policy. The language of this agreement, in the payment of services section states I should not be held financially responsible, since I am not the custodial parent. Please see that the financial policy I agreed to states only the Custodial Parent is held responsible for any unpaid balances. At the time of the visit, before, and after ; I have never been the custodial parent of the child who 's services went unpaid. There is another attachment that can be referenced to verify who the custodial parent is. That would be XXXX XXXX, the joint account holder, and only person who should be responsible for this debt. 

PDQ will be referencing forms that were filled out at the time the child was checked in, including the attached financial policy they provided to me. The contractual agreement I signed is the financial policy of the merchant, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( see attached - financial policy : payment of services section - also posted on merchant 's website and in the office ). They will also say that my driver 's license was provided. This is because I acted in lieu of the actual father ( see attached - court legitimacy documents ). The forms that I signed can provide emergency contact information, but that is the extent of what is legally allowed. The only financial power the doctor 's office has over me is to refuse services for the child, not seek unpaid medical debts for somebody else 's child. If what I have said is not sufficient, the Parental Responsibility Laws of the State of Georgia exempt me from any legal financial responsibility. They only bind the custodial parent to their child 's medical financial responsibilities. The law states that only the custodial parent is financially responsible for anything related to their child, CUSTODIAL PARENT. PDQ and XXXX XXXX XXXX is breaking the law by holding somebody who is not the custodial parent responsible for this debt. Whether I claimed to be the father at XXXX XXXX XXXX or not, I was never the Custodial parent. Bottom line. It comes down to XXXX things. First, what was the financial policy that I agreed to at the time of service? Second, can an adult who brings somebody else 's child to a doctor, who is not the legal guardian or custodial parent, legally be held responsible if services go unpaid? XXXX items answer these questions : the parental responsibility laws in The State of Georgia, court legitimacy documents dated well before the doctor visit ( attached ), and the financial policy for XXXX XXXX XXXX ( attached ).

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