Consumer complaint received 2021-09-11
Product: Debt collection — Medical debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: Nationwide Recovery Systems, Ltd (OK)

On XX/XX/XXXX I was admitted to XXXX XXXX hospital in XXXX via the Emergency Department with XXXX  and XXXX XXXX. I was XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX of XXXX paid the hospital, all of their Hospitalists, physicians, labs and clinics for verified charges. 

In XXXX, XXXX XXXX erroneously sent me a letter that was meant for XXXX XXXX stating they had overpaid the hospital. Thinking it was a charge TO me I queried my credit scores and found 3 COLLECTIONS charges of {$740.00} each! XXXX assured me they would take care of both sets of charges/payments. But it might take 90 days. 

Needless to say, that didnt happen. I dont know how the overpayment error was resolved but the collection accounts were still on my credit report. So, I disputed the charges online with XXXX and XXXX. I never heard back from any of the players. 

In XXXX, XXXX I checked my credit reports again. And all 3 charges were still on both of them. I contacted the collection agency ( cant remember name right now ) and they said they would research it. By the end of XXXX nothing had changed except that now there were 2 ( {$72.00} and {$130.00} ) additional charges that were also in error from the same hospital stay. The collection agency sent me a statement indicating the names of the doctors who had submitted the charges. 

Then Covid happened. By XXXX, XXXX I had found all of my treatment records, correspondence with XXXX and the collection agencies. I then proceeded to spend every week day, all day, for 2 weeks on the phone trying to find out who was billing me and why. It nearly sent me back to the hospital with the tremendous stress it created. No offices were open because of Covid restrictions.I took screenshots of my phone call log and any email correspondence. I was misdirected several times but did learn the {$740.00} charges were from XXXX XXXX XXXX  who saw me. I called people in Arizona and Washington state. I called a dozen different offices in XXXX. 

Finally, XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX advised he would contact XXXX XXXX company and all charges would be removed from my records. The collection agency said they would remove them once they received the information from XXXX XXXX. 

I checked my credit reports a couple of months later only to discover ALL 5 charges had been sold to another collection agency! I was able to get the 3 charges of {$740.00} each removed via online disputes, but the {$72.00} and {$130.00} charges were still on the report with XXXX. I called them and explained my position and history on these charges in early XXXX. They needed written proof. I was in the middle of moving so clearly that didnt happen. Recently I decided to pay the XXXX bills even though I dont owe them. Nice racket they have going. 

I just looked at my credit reports for the account information only to discover I have 2 new charges for {$740.00} each from XXXX XXXX XXXX entered on XX/XX/XXXX. I just cant. 

For 3 years my credit scores have been trashed by this. I have not been able to get a mortgage or purchase a new car. So, Ive been putting cash in a car to keep it going. I am paying ridiculous interest rates on credit cards I opened in an effort to IMPROVE my credit scores. When my balances on those go up, so do my credit scores. When I make payments on them the scores go down. 

I am now XXXX years old, tired, not well and broke. I am able to work only part time. I have simplified my life tremendously since the XXXX crisis. I did not get 2 college degrees and work the past 42 years to be treated like this. I feel like a tiny squeaky cog in a gigantic perpetual motion machine. The amount of time, energy and money I have wasted on this is frankly inexcusable. I often wish I had just XXXX  in that hospital in XXXX, XXXX. I have new more XXXX XXXX XXXX now and medical testing appointments scheduled this month. I may just cancel them and take my chances. Our medical system, health insurance system and financial reporting system are set up to ensure one or the other will kill me before any XXXX. 

I imagine you will need lots of documents and records to do anything about this. I cant imagine how many people have similar situations and never get them resolved because they dont have the time, access or resources to pursue fairness. I still have not unpacked/sorted everything but let me know exactly what you need and Ill do my best as long as I can. 

Thank you for your time and your efforts. Lets make some changes while were at it.