Last October I was extremely depressed and entered a hospital by emergency for suicide watch. I had just turned 23 so I was no longer covered by my parents insurance, freshly graduated from college and unemployed. I was put into a psych ward through an ambulance.

During my time there I was supposedly supposed to be treated as a "covered" or "charity" case. While I was there they had me send out several papers and sign a lot also. However, once I was dismissed I received monumental bills for both my emergency visit, and the cost of being in a psych ward.

I called the medical office about this and they told me they were not sure and didn't see any records of charity or covered status. I filled out paper work but it hasn't really seemed to have any effect. I have no idea what is going on, and all that happens is I fill out more papers that seem to have zero effect at all -- and go completely unnoticed.

Being very confused I asked a nurse who used to work in billing and she told me that I should not worry because the threats are hollow and I will not have to pay my bill.

Now that a year has gone by I still receive threats and my bill has gone dramatically up. I feel that the advice was completely wrong. I am wondering if I should continue to hide but I believe I cannot. I am wondering if the added interest that was once on my huge bill can be removed from my crippling bill. This all has me extremely stressed as I am juggling the payments of my student loans as well and my credit has been destroyed.

Advice and/or guidance is much appreciated. I wish I could have asked someone w/ more experience sooner -- however, I also wanted to keep the dismal situation completely secret from my family and friends.

Thanks in advance.

Were you at a crisis center and they had you admitted? If so, you need to contact them and report the billing issue to them. A friend of mine went to a crisis center and they admitted her for 24 hr watch. She got huge bills from facility for 24 hours worth of watching her. Unbelieveable. She called the crisis center and told them about the bills and they took care of the billing issue. She never received another bill from the facility after that.

What was your scenerio on this?

Thanks for your response.
I believe it was a crisis center. What happened was, I went to a counsellor for crisis who called a hospital for me -- then I was admitted to the er
They spent 12 hours trying to decide if I could be transferred to another building where the crisis center was and whether the govt would cover it. I was admitted and stayed for 3 days. I have bills now from both my ER visit including ambulance ride, and for the time I spent in the crisis center.

While I was at the crisis center a woman visited me who had me fill out paper work for financial support -- I'm guessing that was because it was a separate account at the crisis center.

Idk what's going on -- I call around and everyone just becomes confused and sends me the same papers in the mail. I fill them out and get no response. I think maybe I should write a letter to the hospital?

First, do not hide. That won't get you anywhere. What you need to do is keep badgering the billing dept that you were supposed to be admitted as a charity case and that you signed paperwork to that effect.

First, do not hide. That won't get you anywhere. What you need to do is keep badgering the billing dept that you were supposed to be admitted as a charity case and that you signed paperwork to that effect.

All right, I'll try calling them right now.

Yes, don't hide, if you can't pay them, tell them so, if they get rude hang up and tell them not to call you again.

If you are not working, and don't have any money, they can't do anything anyway at this point.

Also you did not say how much, 4000, or 40,000 or 100,000 it makes a difference, Most hospitals will accept 1/2 of the bill or less as paymnet in full to start with, I have never had one not. And let them turn it over to collections, who cares at this point your credit on it is ruined anyway, when it goes to collectoins you set up a payment plan with them if you are working.

And if it is just too much, bankrutpcy is always one answer.

Right now my bills are around 20k. I called them and they said the are going to resend me some more paper work. I'll fill that out again and go from there. I guess basically I wanted to confirm that I should go at it -- I don't want the bills to continue rack up. I agree that they cannot do anything to me at this point, but, I will have jobs in the future, so I just don't want this all to come bite me in the butt worse than it has to.

I'm still young and I'd not like to be screwed. I'm working on a game plan.

Thanks for your advice.



yes, don't hide, if you can't pay them, tell them so, if they get rude hang up and tell them not to call you again.

If you are not working, and don't have any money, they can't do anything anyway at this point.

Also you did not say how much, 4000, or 40,000 or 100,000 it makes a difference, Most hospitals will accept 1/2 of the bill or less as paymnet in full to start with, I have never had one not. And let them turn it over to collections, who cares at this point your credit on it is ruined anyway, when it goes to collectoins you set up a payment plan with them if you are working.

And if it is just too much, bankrutpcy is always one answer.

Go back to whoever called the hospital er in the first place and speak with them about getting this resolved NOW, not later. It was their call that started it all. You need to see this person in person with all the bills that the facility keeps sending you. Phone calls don't work like a person showing up in their office. Keep after that person to straighten out their mess. It was essentially their insistence that you go in the first place. You do not need this added stress heaped upon you or you could relapse into that scenerio again. Please see them as soon as you can in person. No phone calls, OK?