Question about hospital collection tactics

Posted by Robin (24.27.196.83) on December 20, 2002 at 13:48:30:

We recently moved to FL. My young daughter had an accident and has been in the hospital for a week. We made a mistake with our COBRA payment and our insurance was cancelled. I was unaware of this until informed by the hospital's "financial counselor." (Our new health insurance goes into affect next week.)

When the counselor learned we didn't have insurance she started calling me several times a day (in the intensive care unit) to discuss the matter. I was upset about my daughter's condition and refused to talk to her about the bill. She then came up and had me sit down at a table with her at the nurse's station (all the nurses were sitting at the same table) to go over our financial situation. I was embarrassed and humiliated, but she said because we didn't have insurance that I HAD to complete the forms. When I told her how much our annual income is she responded with, "With that kind of income there's no way I can get you a discount." I responded with, "Did I ask for your help?!"

She then told me that we have to pay 60% of the current charges immediately and that I have to sign a paper agreeing to automatic withdrawal of our checking account to pay the balance. When I asked her how much they want to withdraw each month she said she had no way of knowing because our daughter is still in the hospital. I asked her if she expected me to sign a "blank" form authorizing an unknown dollar amount of withdrawals and she said yes.

I told my husband that I've never heard of a hospital acting this way, that this doesn't sound right, and not to agree to anything until we find out if she can force us to comply with her demands. I also told him that I think we should wait until we receive the final bill and then negotiate the payments.

Can she force us to pay her the 60% immediately? Can she force us to sign an agreement to automatic checking account withdrawals?

Thank you for any advice.

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