Readers Speak on HKH & ECM Collections

We published this comment below a recent blog; however, we want our readers to be sure to note:

You are ignorant to the health care financial system, Republic. I wish I was. Regional is no better and they have threatened and actually followed through on there employees. These profit seeking bottom feeders prey off the vulnerable sick and uneducated. 

I have been threatened with collection from both organizations. My wife's OB sent me a $1400 bill after regional bought him from keller. I prepaid almost that for a discounted rate at the beginning of the pregnancy with the assurance that It covered everything. I paid ecm a sizable check before i left the hospital. And i was told by both if my other secondary insurance service paid i would receive a refund. After they did both pay and being told my refund was in the mail multiple times over 3-4 months, the story changed and the billing department stated that not only would i not be reimbursed my secondary insurances payment that i now owe an additional $1400 and would be handed over to collections in a week. Flabbergasted i spent 10 hours in 24 hours getting the new itemized bill sent to both insurance agencies. 

The rudeness during the process and being talked to like a dead beat was despicable. We planned our pregnancy, my inlaws graciously had kept a secondary bcbs policy on my wife. I had saved for the medical expenses since my wedding date. Even when losing my job one month before i was financially stable and quickly gained employment at a certain hospital. To do everything right and have that type of experience was pathetic. Sorry for the misunderstanding your prepayment was for keller and your deductible started over pay me $1400 this week or we will send you to collections... 

Thank you Dr keith for getting my child here safe, but you and the physicians need to pull your heads out of the sand and realize how these bottom feeder collection and billing agents are treating and conducting business of your behalf. For the record $1400 wasn't the issue bc i work 5 jobs. Nor was the $600 from Helen keller out patient clinic for a cough bc they billed With a tax id They failed to put in a referral for... Another 10 hours on the phone being degraded and threatened. What inflames me is that this is being done to our friends and family. People with no knowledge of itemized bills, billing codes reimbursement, $20 for a medication bcbs would have paid $1.00- but they didn't because the office messed up on a referral. $100 for the 3 injections not the medication- $100 for the RN putting the needle in the muscle. i could have given it myself or simply took PO? No sir Mr defender the items you buy at walmart are clearly priced and i pay as soon as i leave. 

The hospitals bill in code to hide what they charge for from the ignorant. They accept pennies on the dollar from insurance agencies and the gov. But if one of them doesn't pay and that bill comes to your lap get ready to pay 3-10 times what the government and bcbs deem reasonable. But my story is nothing unusual. Imagine being on a vent or undergoing treatment for a terminal disease and then hopefully not losing the battle so your family has to deal with these bottom feeders after the funeral home expenses. 

And this comment we received via e-mail:

I work nights and sleep during the day, but must keep a phone on for emergencies. Some time ago I received a call identified as coming from ECM. The woman said I had an outstanding ER bill. Since I knew I didn't, I tried to find out the problem. The phone number was mine, but the name and address weren't. I was ASSURED they wouldn't bother me anymore. 

The next day, the same thing. It was a different women, and she told me NO ONE had made a note that it was the wrong phone number. She then assured me no one would call again, but I didn't trust her. I called another number at ECM and was told that it was a collection agency which called me and that it was common for them to say they were ECM calling directly. The man said I would receive no more calls, and I didn't. Why does a collection agency have to lie and say they are the actual hospital? What else would they lie about?

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If you have horror stories related to HKH or ECM collections, send them in. 

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