My question involves collection proceedings in the State of: Indiana
Last fall my husband had a heart attack and was sent by air ambulance from our town to a major city. Insurance covered 90% of the bill and we were left with the other 10%. Along with this bill we also had about $10,000.00 of other medical bills needing to be paid. I contacted the ambulance company and we agreed I would pay X amount each month. I gave them my bank card information and they were to auto pay. They then sent me a "form" summarizing our agreement and warning me that this was a legally binding contract and failure to hold up my end will result in collection and/or court action. It was signed by a representative of their company. I then signed the form, filled in the blanks with my bank information and sent it back. (Keeping a copy for my records). My first payment was taken out as agreed. About two weeks after that I got a nasty letter from them about how I need to contact them regarding making a payment arrangement for the debt. I noticed the amount owed was the original post insurance balance. The payment taken from my account had not been deducted. I was concerned so I called the company to find out what was going on. The manager I spoke with said that she did not see a payment agreement set up, she would investigate and get back to me. When she called me back an hour later she said they had a training issue. She said that their agents are told never to turn down money, but that the plan their agent agreed to was not within the company guidelines. She said that their policy was that payments plans could not exceed Y number of months and that my payment was going to more than double.
My feelings are that we had a contract. While I am sorry that they have training issues, I don't feel that it is really my problem. I feel that they should be bound by the contract as much as I am. So I have two questions:
1) Are they bound by the contract that they originally made or can the change the deal? and
2) What happens if they decide not to auto take the money from my account, would that void the contract? Should I send in a payment and hope it is not a double payment which I really can't afford with the other bills? Currently 1/3 of my take home pay is going towards medical bills. I am maxed out.
thank you,
cathy
Last fall my husband had a heart attack and was sent by air ambulance from our town to a major city. Insurance covered 90% of the bill and we were left with the other 10%. Along with this bill we also had about $10,000.00 of other medical bills needing to be paid. I contacted the ambulance company and we agreed I would pay X amount each month. I gave them my bank card information and they were to auto pay. They then sent me a "form" summarizing our agreement and warning me that this was a legally binding contract and failure to hold up my end will result in collection and/or court action. It was signed by a representative of their company. I then signed the form, filled in the blanks with my bank information and sent it back. (Keeping a copy for my records). My first payment was taken out as agreed. About two weeks after that I got a nasty letter from them about how I need to contact them regarding making a payment arrangement for the debt. I noticed the amount owed was the original post insurance balance. The payment taken from my account had not been deducted. I was concerned so I called the company to find out what was going on. The manager I spoke with said that she did not see a payment agreement set up, she would investigate and get back to me. When she called me back an hour later she said they had a training issue. She said that their agents are told never to turn down money, but that the plan their agent agreed to was not within the company guidelines. She said that their policy was that payments plans could not exceed Y number of months and that my payment was going to more than double.
My feelings are that we had a contract. While I am sorry that they have training issues, I don't feel that it is really my problem. I feel that they should be bound by the contract as much as I am. So I have two questions:
1) Are they bound by the contract that they originally made or can the change the deal? and
2) What happens if they decide not to auto take the money from my account, would that void the contract? Should I send in a payment and hope it is not a double payment which I really can't afford with the other bills? Currently 1/3 of my take home pay is going towards medical bills. I am maxed out.
thank you,
cathy
Settling a Debt: Air Ambulance Company Wants to Change Written, Signed Payment Agreement
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