Consumer complaint received 2016-08-05
Product: Debt collection — Medical
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed — Debt resulted from identity theft
Company: CMRE Financial Services, Inc. ()

I was XXXX at XXXX Hospital, XXXX XXXX, Florida, on Sunday, XXXX XXXX, XXXX and was discharged on Wednesday, XXXX XXXX, XXXX. On Friday, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I paid my account in full in person in the amount of {$5800.00}. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX I received the official receipt from the hospital for full payment of my account. 

On Thursday, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I stopped at the emergency rooms, receptionist, specifically to obtain the address of XXXX XXXX XXXX, the XXXX who had attended to me while I was at the hospital. XXXX XXXX XXXX kindly gave me the address and had a friendly chat with me, including her personal background. I was not admitted, nor was I treated, and was assured that there will be no charge for this interaction. End of narrative. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I was telephoned by the hospital 's account management operation in XXXX, that there was a balance on my account of {$230.00} for the emergency room interaction on XXXX XXXX, XXXX, for which I had been assured there was no charge. On pointing this out to the person I spoke with, and upon further checking, she agreed that there was a notation on the account to that effect, that is, no additional charge. Nevertheless, on XXXX XXXX, XXXX I received a phone call from XXXX in XXXX that was intimidating in tone and content, and claiming that an additional charge of {$230.00} was now owed. I was upset and disconcerted and wrote to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Chief executive Officer of the hospital, with a copy to the hospital 's Accounting Office, on XXXX XXXX, XXXX but received no reply from either. 

To my utter astonishment, between XXXX XXXX, XXXX and XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I received several letters from various collection agencies with no identification of the services provided, demanding different amounts of payment from {$1500.00} to {$230.00}, and most recently, {$450.00}. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX My husband and I replied to CMRE Financial, disputing their claim of {$1.00} and also attaching a copy of our letter to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. We received no response. In between, I received a letter of apology from the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, dated XXXX XXXX, XXXX, stating " We apologize for this error and the inconvenience this incident ( notice from a collection agency indicating balance due ) has caused ''. 

As a last resort, we contacted the hospital twice, on XXXX XXXX, XXXX and XXXX XXXX, XXXX using the " Contact us '' feature on their website, detailing our aggravating story and have been harassed relentlessly by debt collection agencies, and requesting that the balance on my account be corrected and reflect the accurate amount which is XXXX. Both messages were computer-acknowledged but no response whatsoever was forthcoming. 

This very stressful and protracted situation has been going on for more than three years with neither the hospital nor the various debt collectors taking any responsibility to respond and to fully correct the record. 

We would be most grateful for your assistance in correcting this matter. 

l