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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    12

    Question Problems with Loan For a Medical Procedure

    My question involves collection proceedings in the State of: Florida

    Good Morning! I wanted to have a tubal reversal surgery. I found a specialist in Florida that would do it. The DR office required that payment be made 2 weeks prior to your surgery or it would be canceled. They had 4 different finance companies that they worked with. I applied with one company and was approved for the amount of the surgery. Once I was approved I was able to schedule the surgery, so it was scheduled for 9/26/08.

    I signed the contract with the finance company and the loan was finalized on 9/10/08 and they said that payment and everything would be taken care of directly with the DR office and all I needed to worry about now was making sure my monthly payment was paid on the first of each month starting 10/01/08.

    I flew to Florida (I am from CO) on 9/23/08 and had my surgery on the scheduled date. The DR office called me on 9/30/08 and told me that my financing had not gone through and that the finance company had not paid them. So I sent a certified letter to the finance company stating that I was not paying the monthly payment until I received proof that my DR office had been paid (DR office said I should do that to cover me butt).

    So now I have the DR office calling me and telling me that I have to apply for financing through one of their other companies. I offered to make monthly payments to them directly, but I was told that they can not take payment like that and I need to get financed. They also told me that they have cancelled at least 2 other surgeries for people that have gone through financing with the company I used, because the company had not paid prior to their surgery. DR office also told me that they have spoken with the finance company and were told that the finance company is currently going through a merger and they are not approving or funding any loans for at least 30-45 days (they told me that on 9/30/08). Now they say that one person at the finance company told them that a large company that backs up their loans has pulled away from them.

    I received a letter yesterday from my finance company stating that my loan had been canceled and is no longer an active file with them. They also stated that they have notified the credit reporting bureaus to completely delete their entry as it is not an active loan.

    I know that I am responsible for paying the bill, but I don't feel I should have to jump through hoops to get financing for a surgery that has already been done and that I had already been financed for. I don't understand why the DR office refuses to take payments directly from me when they messed up and went ahead and did the surgery without having payment first. I guess I need to know if I can legally tell them that they either need to take payment directly from me or they are not going to get paid at all.

    I apologize that this is so long. I hope someone out there can give me advice.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    2,006

    Default Re: Problems with Loan For a Medical Procedure

    I know that I am responsible for paying the bill, but I don't feel I should have to jump through hoops to get financing for a surgery that has already been done and that I had already been financed for. I don't understand why the DR office refuses to take payments directly from me when they messed up and went ahead and did the surgery without having payment first. I guess I need to know if I can legally tell them that they either need to take payment directly from me or they are not going to get paid at all.
    They have the absolute right to ask for payment of services up front. The reason that they aren't in the business of allowing you to make payments is that if the debt goes unpaid for whatever reason they loose. This way if you default and say have to file bankruptcy, the finance company gets screwed and not the physician.
    However, that doesn't mean that I agree with it. You really went out of your way to have this done as well as the expense. They physician should and could have made an exception to the rule. Get used to it, this is the new way medicine is heading and there isn't anything we can do about it. the physician is protecting himself.
    This maybe a blessing in disguise...maybe he's not the right physician for you.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Il.(near StL,Mo.)
    Posts
    5,252

    Default Re: Problems with Loan For a Medical Procedure

    As you noted yourself, you had the surgery & are responsible for the bill. You'll have to try & get other financing. Doctors are always concerned that they won't get paid which is understandable. If they do a service, they deserve/expect to be paid. It would be up to the dr. whether to receive/accept payments over time from the patient. I agree that the dr. in this case could have made an exception due to the situation but he didn't have to.

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