Illegal Billing of a Minor?please, I Need Some Advice! Posted: 08-07-07 09:31am
scenario #1
ok, I have had this primary doctor for a
very long time. He knows my parents pretty
well and they go to him all the time.
Well, my parents found out recently that
when I was a minor, they were billing me
instead of my parents. I am now 19 and
just found out. To be honest I don't know
how long my parents have known, but they
have did the same thing to my brother and
my sister. Im pretty sure that is
illegal.My credit is already has messed
up. how do I fix this and can I press
charges?
Scenario #2
This situation, is different and im not
sure if it is illegal or not, but my
credit is also messed up because of this
too. I went to a Gynocologist a few months
ago when I thought I had a syst on my
ovaries. I was an adult at the time, but I
was still on my parents insurance.My
parents gave them their insurance
information for my doctor visit. My
parents never told me that I had to pay
it.So I figured that they would take care
of it. They never did and now bill
collectors are calling me and harrassing
me. Teliing me that my credit is now
messed up. My friend who wants to major in
law told me that since I was still on my
parents insurance, that they legally
aren't supposed to send me the bill. Iam
not sure if He is right. can anyone help
me with these questions?
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kirutian
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 2
Posted: 08-07-07 09:51am
Scenario 1: if you were under the age of
18 at the time and the bill was in your
name without a guardian custodianship you
do not have to pay.
Scenario 2: You are responsible.
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sillyakchick
Moderator
Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 2690
Thanks: 5
Thanked:0
Posted: 08-07-07 10:02am
OK this is how the billing works:
When you go to a dr's office and you are
underage, you have to list one or both of
your parents as a guarantor. It does not
matter whose health insurance you are
using. You will be billed for any
remaining balance unless your parent(s)
are listed as the guarantor. For example,
let's say i was on my spouse's insurance.
If I see a doctor and there is a leftover
charge, the bill comes to me, unless I
list my husband as the guarantor of my
account.
Your doctor's office should have done this
for you in the first place as an underage
patient. You might call them up, ask them
to tell you who is listed as the guarantor
of your account, and see who was listed.
If your parents were listed, getting this
credit problem alleviated should be fairly
simple, in that all you would have to do
is file an appeal with the credit
reporting agency. As for the charge when
you were 19, Can you call the gyno's
office, explain what happened, and offer
to set up a payment plan?
