Consumer complaint received 2024-01-16
Product: Debt collection — Medical debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was already discharged in bankruptcy and is no longer owed
Company: TRANSWORLD SYSTEMS INC (DE)

Dear CFPB, I filed a complaint in XX/XX/XXXX and applied for Financial Assistance following the website on XX/XX/XXXX. 

Per the ACA enacted XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX which is a registered hospital system and 501 ( c ) 3 nonprofit per the IRS must provide and publish their FAP. 

I was a patient for multiple emergency care visits that lived well under 200 % FPL and uninsured for periods of time between XXXX and I was never once offered any FAP nor even provided any form of actual medical care during those time frames. I applied for FAP on XX/XX/XXXX once I realized there was a program and provided my Paystubs, Letter and Employment Verification from my employer, and explained all financial and mitigating circumstances that had happened and continue to happen in my life via email. 

They responded only in XX/XX/XXXX to state that I was above the income level. I provided screenshots of their financial aid policy from their website and they responded that the FAP on their website did not apply for XXXX but was only applicable for XXXX and that the FAP in XXXX was under 200 % of FPL. I requested verification of where on the website this was stated as FAP on website states 400 % and I am well below that income limit now and previously, provided multiple screenshots and PDFs from their website showing it was not listed anywhere that the current website documentation was only for XXXX hospitalizations, as well as requested a information for how to reapply for FAP, and also requested the written FAPs from XXXX at that time. XXXX XXXX stopped responding at the time. 

Website only states " We calculate the bill using the same amounts billed to people with insurance. '' but no information on what or where the XXXX is gathered. I confirmed with CMS Provider Fee Schedule and amount I was billed was incredibly higher than CMS. 

Lastly, I did a bit of research and found out that Delaware has 75 Del. Laws, c. 192, 10 ; 76 Del. Laws, c. 87, 3 ; 77 Del. Laws, c. 132, 2 which states that DE Hospitals seeking Certified Public Review status must follow Delaware Health Resources Board regulations which includes Charity Care and FAP offering. 

Delaware law authorizes the Delaware Health Resources Board to determine the charity care which states in XXXX " Eligibility and Charity Care Guidelines : Patients eligible for charity care are those individuals whose annual income is less than or equal to 350 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, as published annually in the Federal Register, and who are uninsured or underinsured ( i.e., overall medical expenses and/or health plan deductible equal to or exceeds 5 percent of annual income ). '' XXXX XXXX, who has received XXXX approval since XXXX per public websites, then is required by the state to follow the income requirement of at minimum 350 % FPL. The already was violated then as they told me that they would only consider XXXX income and that needed to be under 200 % FPL. 

Delaware Law states they must follow CMS billing rates for uninsured, indigent, and underinsured patients meeting financial requirements. I am attaching my paystubs for the previous 6 months, statement of employment verification signed my employer, and statement of need declaration that shows I live under 215 % FPL while DE states that charity care patients are uninsured and under 350 % FPL as well as follow the publicly accessible FAP. 

The medical bills have not been verified to you as an agency and no other organization is willing to help nor tell me where to go to even reach this government entity but the credit bureaus claim its from XXXX. I had medical insurance for some of that period too so but the hospital service did not even attempt to contact them for payment. I never received a bill or notification on financial assistance or even the bill to this date. 

I am hoping you can either direct me to the correct agency to file my complaint and have help removing this from my financial report as Account Closed due to insurance and Charity Care or if you could please help me directly to follow the current initiatives in XX/XX/XXXX to help those impoverished with medical debt. Thank you.