Consumer complaint received 2025-12-04 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
Complaint Duplicate-Invalid Anesthesia Charge & Wrongful Collections Date of Procedure : XX/XX/XXXX Procedure : XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Facility : XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX  XXXX XXXX Physician : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX  Disputed Amount : {$2100.00} Collection Agency XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXXXXXX ________________________________________ 1. Summary of Complaint I am disputing a {$2100.00} anesthesia charge and the wrongful reporting of this invalid charge to collections. 
I paid all required copays and patient financial responsibilities at the time of service. 
My insurance ( XXXX ) covers the remainder. 
The {$2100.00} charge is duplicative, incorrect, and denied due to provider billing errors, not patient responsibility. 
The provider sent the invalid charge to collections, harming my credit and interfering with my ability to secure a mortgage. 
________________________________________ 2. Duplicate Billing I received two anesthesia bills for the same procedure : Provider Amount Status XXXX XXXX Anesthesia {$1900.00} Paid by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX {$2100.00} Denied by XXXX Both bills list the same address ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX ) and telephone number ( XXXX ), indicating duplicate billing for the same service. 
________________________________________ 3. Denial Was Provider Error, Not Patient Responsibility XXXX confirmed : The claim was billed incorrectly ( submitted under anesthetist instead of anesthesiologist ). 
Required preauthorization was not obtained by the provider or hospital. 
Only XXXX anesthesia group is covered per procedure ; the denial is the providers responsibility, not mine. 
I am not financially responsible for the denied {$2100.00} claim. 
________________________________________ 4. Attempts to Resolve XX/XX/XXXX : Met with XXXX XXXX to report the issue. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Contacted XXXX XXXX billing to request correction/resubmission. 

XX/XX/XXXX - Sent Certify Letter to XXXX  Dpt. XXXX XXXX XXXX, but they never answered. 
- XX/XX/XXXX - Sent Letters to the three Credit Bureaus, and Equifax answered. 
- XXXX XXXX and XXXX, I called multiple times to XXXX regarding this issue, however they were unable to assist. 

No action was taken by provider. The provider did not correct the error. 
________________________________________ 5. Wrongful Collections Reporting On XX/XX/XXXX, I discovered this invalid charge was reported to : XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXXXXXX This violates : Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) reporting a debt I do not owe. 
Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) furnishing inaccurate information to credit bureaus. 
The account is now negatively impacting my credit score and ability to secure a mortgage. 
________________________________________ 6. Requested Resolution I request CFPB assistance to ensure the following : A. Provider/ Facility / Anesthesia Groups Correct and resubmit the claim properly to XXXX. 
Recall the account from collections. 
Provide written confirmation that my balance is {$0.00}. 
B. Collection Agency / Credit Bureaus Delete the invalid account from all credit reports ( XXXX, Equifax, XXXX  ). 
Provide written confirmation of removal. 
C. XXXX Provide written confirmation that I have no financial responsibility. 
Document that the claim denial was due to provider billing/authorization errors, not patient fault. 
________________________________________ 7. Supporting Documentation ( attach copies if filing online ) Statement XXXX XXXX XXXX, Account Number XXXX, {$1900.00}, paid by XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Account Number XXXX, {$2100.00}, denied by XXXX. 
Equifax XXXX XXXX ( Results of Reinvestigation ) - Accounts that have been placed for collection. 
________________________________________ 8. Impact My credit report now shows an invalid collections account.

This has interfered with my ability to secure a mortgage.

Repeated attempts to resolve directly with the provider failed, leaving me with no alternative but to escalate.

________________________________________ 9. Statement I dispute the {$2100.00} anesthesia charge in full. This debt is invalid, duplicative, and the result of provider error. I request immediate correction of billing errors, removal from collections, and restoration of accurate credit reporting.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation