Consumer complaint received 2023-02-08
Company: Grant Mercantile Agency
State: IL
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 had a XXXX XXXX  XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX. Following XXXX I spent 4 days in the hospital due to the fact that my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX I have an XXXX XXXX that I wear. This has caused more complications as attempting to walk was extremely difficult. So much so, that the hospital recommended that I be transported to a XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX to XXXX for about 2 weeks before coming home. This was approved by XXXX. We were concerned about infections and catching other things, and decided I would be better off at home ( this was the doctors preference ). Unfortunately, due to my XXXX XXXX  situation and the recently XXXX XXXX XXXX, I could not get into my home as I have steps just to get into the home and I could not go up the steps. Therefore, the hospital said they could take me there by ambulance and then lift me into the house on a stretcher. This was the only way I could get into the house. Since the hospital had already checked and had the XXXX pre-approved, the ambulance I thought was covered as well. It was just simply ordered from the hospital, so I assumed all covered. When I got into the ambulance the Tech told me not to worry as I would never see a bill on this. Now they are billing me for over XXXX XXXX dollars ( original bill {$3600.00} ). I see that XXXX has now covered {$610.00} of this, leaving {$3000.00} for me to pay. I can not afford this, and this is a total shock to me as no one told me at all that this was not covered. Had I known I would have gone to XXXX for the 2 weeks which, I believe, this would have cost more to XXXX. So, I am appealing this on the basis of " medical necessity, '' there was no way to get me home or even in my house, for that matter without it. Again, if I went the XXXX route, I would have had to be transported to XXXX XXXX as well, an even longer distance. Again, I appeal to you for further coverage of this. This was a total of XXXX miles home, and the mileage alone they are charging is {$1000.00}. This would cost me in my car about {$6.00}. Please consider this appeal request for the circumstances indicated, given I had no choice. If you need a doctor 's note or proof of my XXXX XXXX, I can certainly provide this. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX I hope you can see the challenge this has created. I appreciate your consideration. Please contact me at my cell for any questions, and or email at XXXX or XXXX. Noone will listen to this and I have appealed with the insurance companuy, XXXX, and the XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX. They keep telling me to contact one another. Which I have done and they keep saying they are checking. Then out of the blue I received an letter from a collection agency, Grant Mercantile Agency in California. They are not acrruing interest on the amount daily, at a 10 % APR. They said they will not settle on the principal at all. My insuyrance company said they would re-appeal this, as of yesterday XX/XX/XXXX and they were supposed to notify the collection agency to put a hold on this. Can you help

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation