Scan Medical Insurance

Received today medical bill from heart attack in 2006, can they do this?

This doctor was one of the consulting in surgery while trying to unblock main artery. Hospital could not supply me with all involved in the two surgeries. We refinanced our paid off home in Dec 2007 to cover what the major medical did not. Had this guy submit a bill in a timely manner to the major medical insurance company he probably would of been paid for these two bills we are just now receiving. We were told by a medical professional that if it had not been billed to us within a year of the incident they would not be able to collect it. I don't want anything going again our credit but financially we are tapped out and the major medical insurance is tapped out for another year before available for anything pertaining to the heart attack. We pay cash for all the testing necessary and all medication monthly at this time.

Public Comments

1. Speak to a lawyer, but you will probably have to submit the bill to the insurance and when they decline to pay, then sue them.
2. Them doctors must be mean as snakes. The politicians let them get away with murder. One of those special interest groups that work the politicians. That AMA get what they want as good as the mortgage banking people.
3. And idiot Republicans will fight tooth and nail to keep any "socialized medicine" out of America - until they lose their house because of a medical emergency. Something like a third of your premiums you pay for that worthless 'health' insurance goes to bureaucrats who figure out a way NOT to treat whatever you have. Nice, hu?
4. I do know that something similar happened to me and we received a bill from 2005 and our insurance and Medicare refused to pay it. Similar thing happened for 2006 and I told them to submit it to Medicare and then to my private insurance. I don't know what will happen with that. My own feeling is that they should have submitted it in a timely fashion. However, I do not know the law ont his but am going under assumption that if Medicare and my insurance can refuse to apy it, then they should eat it themselves. There was a mixup for me on who was primary carrier as my isnurance said they were and then all of a sudden said they weren't so it it were submitted before and they took their money back because other was primary, I'll appeal it. There is an appeal process with the state insurance board but you have to get it in within a short time. I'd file the appeal - mainly a letter stating the facts and why it should be paid. But I cna't respond on the legal question as I don't know the aner. I am assuming I won't pay it and I will file a response to the credit report if they dock me on the credit report.
5. In the USA, Yes, they can. Billing is not a requirement, it is a courtesy. And healthcare providers do not have to bill your insurance. They usually do because they have everything an insurance company wants as far as diagnostic codes, et al, and if they don't they would not get paid near the amounts that they do, but they are not by any means required to do so. Fact is that you received the services and regardless of how complicated the billing may be, or whether or not they let you know the charges were still outstanding in a timely matter, it really does not change the fact that you owe the money. Did they already try to submit to your insurance? Can you submit to your insurnace now? It may be a pain in the hiney, but you are probably going to have to do the leg work and the time on the phone to get them to pay a portion of it if any. But try it and see if they will. A bill such as this can be reported on your credit report for 7 years from the last date of payment. If they decide to sue, which they probably will, particularly if it is a large amount and you have property in which they can put a lien on, once they have judgement, then a judgement can stay on your credit report for ten years since the date it is entered and can remain there indefinitely if you do not pay it. All that has to be done is to renew the judgement before it expires and it's good for another ten years ( at least that is how it is in my state. Your state may vary.) It can also accrue an interest rate, usually no more than 10% simple interest per anum and they can also be awarded court costs and collection fees. They should have billed you and your insurance in a timely manner, and I would double check and make sure they are not double billing, that happens sometimes too, and not necessarily because there's anything shady, it's just a mistake. Sucks, but that's how it is.