My financial issue

In September my younger daughter Madison got very sick, they think now that it was Swine Flu. She was running temps in excess of 105 and had a seizure at her daycare. We took her to the hospital on 9/18. They weren't able to tell us what was wrong with her. We took her again on 9/20 when her fever was at 106 and she was blue and barely breathing. Both times they did chest xrays to check for Pneumonia, blood work, urine cultures..and they couldn't tell us what was wrong with her. The second trip (9/20) they gave her a round of antibiotics after I requested them.

Then on 10/3 I had to take my older daughter Mackenzie back to the emergency rooms because she was bleeding from her eyes when she cried.

The following Monday, (10/5) I took both my girls to the pediatrician because they were both ill.

I received bills in the mail and kept all of them, they totaled up to $2,918. I kept them because I was applying for CHIP (Texas medicaid for children) in hopes that they would help pay the bills. We weren't accepted so it turned to paying it ourselves.

I had five different places I was sending checks too and so I only sent $20 to each location.

I got a letter in the mail last week stating we were turned over to collections for unpaid medical bills. I ignored if, stupidly, because we had sent money. Then yesterday I received a phone call from a woman at Dell Children's Hospital asking if we had paid any money to our bills. I informed her that I had. The woman asked how much I paid to each bill every month and I told her $20 and she told me 'thats not enough to keep you out of collections." So I asked her how much I'd have to pay each month to stay out of collections and she told me "380 every month for 12 months". I asked her how much the entire bill was for the minimum payment to be that high, she responded back with $4,936.

I hung up with her very pissed off because I knew it wasn't that high, I had all of my bills. I found every bill they ever sent us and added them up. I owe the hopsital $1,152 and the girl's pediatrician is owed $532 and I owe the X-Ray place $82.

So today I called collections to find out how much was owed to them. I was told that I wasn't in the system but would show up soon if I had been told to call them, that I should call back in a few days. I called Dell's to get an itemized list of what I owed and to find out the exact numbers. The 'lovely' woman on the phone informed me that I owe $1,783 for Madison's appointment on 9/18 and another $2,881 for her appointment on 9/20. She told me Mackenzie's appointment on 10/3 was $272. I asked her why the bills I had here at home weren't adding up with the ones she was telling me and she told me "Oh, we never sent you these bills."

Well why the hell not!? How are you going to turn me over to collections for something that you never sent me a bill for? How are you going to turn me over to collections when you never even called me to find out why I wasn't paying? Why are you going to turn me into collections for something that happened 3.5 months ago when you didn't even let me know that I owed it?!

I'm not refusing to pay the bills, I never refused to pay them. I would gladly send checks to them, had they sent me a bill. What upsets me is that I was never sent a bill, never sent a letter saying 'hey, pay this bill or we're turning you into collections'. It's like they made no effort whatsoever and just threw me to collections.

So the $4,936 that the woman quoted me, doesn't even include the $1,766 from the bills that I have in my room. This whole sum turns out to be $6,702...I am sick, sick. I wasn't excited that I was having to pay towards hospital bills...when the hospital couldn't tell me what was wrong with my child. I wasn't thrilled with the amount..I'm really upset about this whole thing.


So tomorrow I get to call the Hospital and get them to once again admit they never sent me a bill for those numbers. Watch, I bet they don't admit it tomorrow, I bet you. After I get off the phone with them I have to call the JAG office and let them know that we have been turned into collections for a bill I was never sent. I have to ask them what they think I should do, and most of all..let them know I wasn't refusing to pay it. Tim is currently going through a background check..where they also check his credit. It's very important for his MOS. I want them to be aware that us being in collections isn't because we refused to pay a bill, it was because we were never sent the bill.

Someone send up some prayers for me. Tim and I were suppose to be able to completely pay off our debt while he was in BCT and AIT...now...that won't be happening. I can't tell Tim this though..because it's not what he needs to be worried about while he has much more important things on his plate. So like I said..please send up a prayer for me..because I am emotionally drained and feel a break down coming on.