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Tight_Procedure t1_j7pgtcv wrote

They can send a bill up to 6 years after the day of service.

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SobeysBags t1_j7q20yz wrote

Maybe I'm wrong but the law in Maine is 6 months, not 6 years

"A health care entity, as defined in section 1718-B, subsection 1, paragraph B, is 5 prohibited from charging a patient for health care services it provided when a billing 6 statement has not been provided to the patient within 6 months of the date health care 7 services were rendered to the patient "

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alpha417 t1_j7p7775 wrote

call the billing dept, set up a payment plan...and then pay a little bit every month. if they are truly destitute, and only make a $20 month payment... the odds of them being sent to collections are slim to none. I know family who did that for 40 years.

if they make no payments...expect action.

[warning] you are accepting financial suggestions from the internets. I might be a potato.

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Majestic-Feedback541 t1_j7phlb3 wrote

Can you be certain. That this was the ONLY bill sent out? And not just the only one you know about

It should have been sent up to 6 months after discharge. However, I would contact the hospital billing dept to discuss the issue. Request an itemized bill.

Also, they say there is a $20 minimum for payment plans, but even if you can only send $5, they have to accept it. And thry cannot send it to collections while you are paying it, even if it is a small amount. They will try to stand firm on $20 payments.

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[deleted] OP t1_j7phuye wrote

[deleted]

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Majestic-Feedback541 t1_j7pjlo8 wrote

My opinion: they received services, they should pay, if they can. Healthcare costs are expensive and living on a fixed income can make it super hard. Especially if they are still sick, requiring medications (either prescription or OTC), and everything else.

You will get push back on paying less than "their acceptable payment" but trying to pay it in any amount is far better than not even trying.

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[deleted] OP t1_j7pl52p wrote

[deleted]

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Majestic-Feedback541 t1_j7pmfod wrote

Could it be from a specialist consult or something? They bill separately from the hospital. And it usually is pricey.

It could also be a hospital billing error. There are so many possibilities (system update, new employee error, system error, and so on.) Unfortunately, the best I can tell you is to contact them directly and find out. But definitely explain the whole issue, that they have tried following up to see about charges since Nov 22 (or whenever) and were told there were no payments due. It may seem repetitive but, unless you're speaking to the same person every time, there's a chance they won't get the whole story. There's only so much room for notes in those programs used.

Good luck, I hope this issue gets resolved in a clear and quick manner!

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Rainbowznplantz t1_j7pjqev wrote

I got a bill 2 years after my child was born for her hospital stay at Maine Med. I called and complained/asked why it was coming so late - that call alone they magically cut the bill by over half. Added it to my payment plan for all the other charges from that same hospital stay that I was still working on. Boo health care costs.

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SobeysBags t1_j7q28sh wrote

Don't they have to bill you with in 6 months?

"A health care entity, as defined in section 1718-B, subsection 1, paragraph B, is 5 prohibited from charging a patient for health care services it provided when a billing 6 statement has not been provided to the patient within 6 months of the date health care 7 services were rendered to the patient "

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[deleted] OP t1_j7q5sk9 wrote

[deleted]

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SobeysBags t1_j7q9f1m wrote

I thought so, but I am not a lawyer or an expert. But I can't find any concrete answers. Someone said 6 years, but I believe that is just the Medical Debt Statute of Limitations, so creditors can't collect after that timeline.

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