Consumer complaint received 2024-08-13
Product: Debt collection — Medical debt
Issue: Written notification about debt — Didn't receive enough information to verify debt
Company: Ability Recovery Services, LLC (FL)

On XX/XX/XXXX, I was XXXX for almost a week at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for a XXXX XXXX. I was sent there by my doctor. When I checked in, I was told that they take my Insurance. My primary insurance is XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, federal, as i am employed by the XXXX XXXX XXXX. I also have Medicare as my secondary insurance. I figured I have nothing to worry about considering I have multiple insurance policies. t is now 2.5 years later and I started getting notices in the mail a few months ago from a debt collector, XXXX XXXX. To be honest, I ignored them at first because I thought they were a mistake. The second time I received a notice, I started looking into this. This has taken me some time, as Im XXXX XXXX XXXX and I am still employed full time. I was very confused as I was XXXX  so long ago now. At first I called XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX billing department to inquire and they told me that I had nothing to worry about because according to them, I didnt owe them anything and the letters were probably a mistake and that they did not send me to collections. Then i looked up the phone number for and contacted XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, both at XXXX since they were cited on the collection documents as the original credior. I was told that they terminated their partnership with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX as of XX/XX/XXXX, so they currently had no information that I owed anything. I then contacted Ability Recovery Services, since they are listed on top of the collection documents and I spoke to XXXX and she told me that debt was now sold to XXXX XXXX. I told her that this is all very confusing to me as I have multiple insurance policies, XXXX  and Medicare and I didnt understand how or why I owed any money. She advised me that I should contact XXXX XXXX and Medicare each and ask about the dates in question. 

After multiple attempts in contacting both XXXX XXXX and Medicare over multiple days and speaking to multiple people ( some very nice and helpful and some not ), I have finally figured out what happened. Apparently, these medical charges are from 4 different providers that I was seen by as in inpatient at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and they do not accept my insurance. They are considered out of network. This is absolutely crazy to me because, how am i supposed to know that? The hospital accepts my insurance, but they sent these providers to see me that does not accept my insurance?? I was hospitalized and would have never thought to ask each doctor that comes in the room if they take my insurance, Thats ridiculous and unheard of. And to make matters worse, Apparently these providers are the ones who made the mistake over and over again with how they billed. They submitted the claims to both XXXX and Medicare at the same time multiple times, over and over again, billing it as my primary insurance. XXXX paid a very small portion since they are out of network. Medicare kept denying the claims because the claims were sent to Medicare as the primary insurance. What should have taken place, the doctors should have submitted the claims to XXXX as my primary insurance and then, once they got back what XXXX would pay, the claims should have been sent to Medicare as my secondary insurance to pay the rest. If these medical bills were billed properly by these providers, we would have no issue here and I would not be in collections. Instead of trying to figure anything out, these doctors continuously just kept sending the bills over and over again to both XXXX and Medicare at the same time as the primary insurance.

This is very, very unfair. I cant imagine how many thousands of elderly patients this has happened to. In fact, in doing this research over the past few months trying to figure out whats going on, I found out that there is a federal law that went into effect on XX/XX/XXXX, called the No Surprises Act ( NSA ) to protect patients from unexpected medical bills from out of network providers. This is the same exact thing that happened to me!!! I am just unsure if this would protect me in this case since my XXXX XXXX was XX/XX/XXXX and this bill went into effect 1 month later!!! 
As previously mentioned, It has taken me quite some time to get this all figured out. I was told by the Collections Agency that if Medicare would be willing to pay the outstanding claim, then we could clear this up, but Medicare said that they will only accept claims for up to a year from the date of service. I then looked into the appeals process through medicare, and apparently its too late for that too. I could only appeal this up to XX/XX/XXXX. I understand that there are time limits for things, but I truly was just able to get this all figured out. Medicare is saying that I should have realized this sooner because I receive a summary of benefits from them. Im sorry but I do not have time to look at things like that. I am XXXX XXXX XXXX and Unfortunately I still work because I have bills to pay. I also have a XXXX adult son that I take care of at home. I am also not in the best health. This doesnt leave me much time to myself. I truly thought this hospital stay was behind me and I didnt have to think about it anymore. I should not have to pay for the doctors mistake in billing. When someone is XXXX  they dont think about out of network providers seeing them. I cant afford to pay these collectors and now they are ruining my credit as they are on my credit report. This is so unfair to do to the XXXX population.