A medical collection from back when I was on Medicaid

[Been_Ponzied]

Thanks to you all here, I almost have my Equifax file totally cleared up!! One major glitch - a creditor shows that I owe $200+ for an ambulance ride four years ago when I was on Medicaid. I was on Medicaid for several years back then and NEVER did I receive any medical bills at all from anyone.

I vaguely recall fighting with the creditor over this but I can't remember what they said. Should I stir up things (and give them my new address) by writing the creditor a letter, or should I stir up things with Medicaid by getting proof that I was on Medicaid and sending it to Equifax? (They accept my documents, unlike Experian). Or should I try to play lawyer and look for some law that says you can't bill a patient who is on Medicaid?

Those are scary prospects to me. I'm sort of laying low from Medicaid in the event that they attempt Medicaid Recovery procedures on me when I reach the age of 55. I am off Medicaid now and plan to stay off it.

[Recovering Attorney]

You have to DV it. Find out if teh ambulance company accepted Medicaid and whether Medicaid was ever billed. It's poosible the company was not a Medicaid provider. Or, they never submitted a claim, or they are a disreputable bunch that doesn't want to take only Medicaid for payment. Won't know any of this unless you ask. But if it is off your CR and the SOL is nearing, you may want to ignore it.

[Robert Nashville/Savannah]

I agree...depending on how close it is to the SOL you may be best off to leave it alone.

That said, I'm not sure that the fact that you were on Medicaid is the real issue here...I am not expert on Medicaid but I don't believe the fact that someone is on Medicaid automatically excludes them from any financial responsibility for medical bills. What seems more important to me, if it gets that far, is whey the provided did or did not do to secure payment - I believe they have at least some obligation to mitigate their loss and if they did nothing, they may well deserve nothing form you either.

[Robert Nashville/Savannah]

I agree...depending on how close it is to the SOL you may be best off to leave it alone.

That said, I'm not sure that the fact that you were on Medicaid is the real issue here...I am not expert on Medicaid but I don't believe the fact that someone is on Medicaid automatically excludes them from any financial responsibility for medical bills. What seems more important to me, if it gets that far, is whey the provided did or did not do to secure payment - I believe they have at least some obligation to mitigate their loss and if they did nothing, they may well deserve nothing form you either.

[lisa1]

I have a similiar situation... EMS services may not be covered or they may have not billed medicaid. I know they changed this few years ago. I have Aetna now (5 years) its covered. All my hospital debt was paid - except one physician for 36.00 who did not bill medicaid and the ems service.

My account is from 11/99 - so I have nothing to lose... They will not respond to DV (ca). I don't know if I could get verification of medicaid during that time period "its over 6 years old".

I'm going to try to DV again to lead to paper trail. Then send in copies of green and Dv request to CRA to prove "ca willfully violates consumer right to validate the debt - please remove immediately".

[Been_Ponzied]

Thanks, all. I wil have to check the SOL again in my state. This ambulance thing happened when I lived in Las Vegas. I did hear that you cannot bill a Medicaid client for medical services.

Lisa why are you bothering to DV when yours is over 6 years old? Just curious.

I liked: "request to CRA to prove "ca willfully violates consumer right to validate the debt - please remove immediately." I have never actually tried that before because when I speak to the CRAs by phone and tell them that the CA won't validate, they don't care. Have you had ANY success using this?

[lisa1]

I've tried every type of dispute possible...

Not mine

inaccurate info

timebarred

obsolete

just verified... will not delete until next year...

I want it off this year. If you have any suggestions please please post them.

I have another account that is verifying and will drop 6/06. Same situation and dispute attempts. They do not write me or call...Its obvious that it will not be paid...and I want them off...

They are just killing my scores...

[Methuss]

Ambulatory service is an oral agreement if you didn't sign anything. 4 years on the SoL. Probably uncollectable.

It would be worth $50 to have a lawyer draft up a dispute letter to send to the CRAs. If it gets verified, then you'll have more ammo to use. Under Medicaid, they can't ask you to pay any amount not covered by the governement for emergency care. If they did not file a claim, that does not excuse them or allow them to collect from you.

[Recovering Attorney]

Just remember, if they are not a Medicaid provider, they can charge whatever they normally would charge.

[jeninmi]

I had medicaid and I had a hospital bill that was supposed to be paid by them....it was never paid so even though I couldnt afford it I made payments and finally got rid of the collection agencies and got it back to the orginal creditor(hospital). I fought with medicaid to take care of the bill but since some girl in the office didnt have me fill out a second piece of paper when I signed up they will not cover it and it was about 2000.00. They didnt even care that I was pregnant at the time, even when I sent them my medical records and a statement from my doctor saying that yes I did sign up on the day I said I did they wouldnt pay for their mistake. Since yours is 4 years old there isnt a lot you can do but maybe a PFD or DV and hope they cant prove the debt. Im sorry for your situation I know how much it sucks.