My question involves collection proceedings in the State of: MT
Hi, this is a very frustrating issue and I'm looking for help.
Last year, I (mother) had my first and only panic attack following some devastating news. I was home with my 3 yr old and my husband (military) was out of state for training. My other children were on a hiking trip with some friends. We were new to the neighborhood and my neighbors did not know much about us. When I had the panic attack, I lost consciousness in my driveway and a passerby called 911. When emergency responders arrived, my 3 yr old was placed in temporary custody of the local CPS. I was hospitalized for the night for observation and while they tracked down my husband. They had me doped up and I slept through it all. When I woke the next day, I was told that my daughter was placed in emergency foster care and that my husband was on his way.
He arrived late in the afternoon and picked up my daughter. We went home and life went on. A few weeks later, we received a bill for medical care for my daughter while I was hospitalized. When I tracked down what that was referring to, I found out that they CPS had taken her in for a "routine welfare check". Of course, nothing was found wrong, but I was irate. I called my insurance and was told that they would "backdate an authorization" as emergency services.
We received nothing. I was also upset because I couldn't figure out how they were able to receive care for her without a parents authorization. Any time any of my children had an appointment , I had to sign as being responsible for the bill if insurance did not cover it. Of course insurance did not cover it because there was no prior authorization on file.
Now we have received collections notice for this bill in excess if $600. I did not sign. Neither did my husband. The hospital cannot find the paperwork for her intake. How can we be held responsible when we didn't even know that she had this appointment? We did not sign for her and it appears that no one did. CPS is not helpful because we don't have a "file" with them. The insurance company is now defunct and they cannot provide any info regarding their attempted actions to resolve it as they told me they would.

