Consumer complaint received 2017-04-17
Company: Merchants' Credit Guide Company
State: IL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not mine

Complaint:
I went to the   XXXX   XXXX   at the  XXXX   XXXX   Hospital  after I had fallen on an ice covered pavement at a  XXXX   XXXX . I was taken to the hospital by my fianc in her car. I told the staff that I did not have insurance and I had a continuing Workman 's Comp Case when I was admitted. I did not have any insurance, however, all of my doctors worked at the Hospital and I was treated then released a day or  two  later. I received a bill from the hospital with fees for all the doctors,  XXXX ,  XXXX ,  XXXX ,  XXXX  's and the  XXXX  service from the that visit and I contacted the hospital to find out why I was being billed when I had t he Workman 's Co mp Case which was on going, which, they had all the billing info for. The hospital financial department called me back and said they would correct the billing and apply whatever was not covered to charity or financial assistance. A few weeks later a rep from  XXXX   Hospital Financial Aid De partment called me and said I qualified for 100 % payment by the department and all my bills with the hospital including all doctor bills,  XXXX  service,   XXXX   XXXX  ,  XXXX ,  XXXX ,  XXXX  's and any other bills from my visit in  XXXX   XXXX  to the hospital were removed or paid by them or   XXXX   out. In  XXXX   XXXX  I received the first notice of delinquent bills in collections from  XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX  at  XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX ,  XXXX   XXXX ,  XXXX , IL  XXXX  as to a bill from  XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX  for a doctor 's bill from the  XXXX  stemming from my   XXXX   visit in  XXXX   XXXX  at  XXXX  Hospital. I immediately called  Merchants Credit Guide  Co at  XXXX  and explained to their representative that that bill was part of a Workers Comp Case that was not settled or was part of the charity approval from the  XXXX  Hospital. I gave that representative my attorneys ' info too. The representative fro m Merchants Credit Guide  Co became rude and said, " no these are your bills and you must pay them. '' I said, no they are not and to cease and desist any further collection activity or any further contact to my home or I would take whatever legal recourse I could and or form a complaint with the FTC . Merchants Credit Guide Co.  has continued their attacks on me and my finance in attempts to collect these debts ever since then and I am tried of this abuse.  XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX  has been reporting this to all credit bureaus, during their constant illegal assaults, illegal collections activities against me since the original letter I received from them back in  XXXX  of  XXXX . I have sent them by mail, faxed them the statement from the hospital, formerly disputed their bills in writing a nd Merchants Credit Guide Co  denies they received anything from me, continues to report falsely to the credit bureaus and continues to illegally pursue collection efforts for these bills that were all from my emergency room visit in  XXXX  of  XXXX  to  XXXX  Hospital. As of writing this today,  X/XX/XXXX , I again contacted  Merchants Credit Guide Co.  spoke with their representative who said his name was "  XXXX  '' and explained all of this, AGAIN, and AGAIN was told they had no record of any prior contact from myself to  Merchants Credit Guide  Co which is just a lie. My account number wit h Merchants Credit Guide Co.  is #  XXXX . PLEASE HELP.

Company public response: Company disputes the facts presented in the complaint
Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief