I’ve done a lot of billing disputes, but I’m not an attorney. However, having an attorney involved may in fact be the least troublesome course of action. Since you have a legal document (your divorce) which makes your husband the responsible party, your signature on the “I’ll pay” form probably isn’t that relevant.

If you went before a judge, do you really think he’d say, “Oh, yeah. You signed that. You owe.” It’s a kind of paperwork hostage-taking when the hospital makes you sign that.

So going forward, remember this. The ER has to take you. By law. Don’t sign the stupid form next time you go to the ER. Or write your husband’s name there, or whatever. Of course since you’ll be getting an attorney, I’d get their opinion on it. But I’ve not seen the little sheet of paper make that much difference.

Ok. What to do now. Do not pay the hospital. They will have no interest in helping you resolve this bill once they have money. Do not pay them anything even if you think it will “help your credit” somehow. You pay, you lose.

As for the insurance company not talking to you, of course (by law) they can’t. Total invasion of privacy stuff there. They can talk to the hospital though. So getting the hospital on your side can help. I’ve had reasonably good luck going in person to the billing office at the hospital, and waiting while they call the provider number to find out why a claim is denied. It takes a lot of time, because the hospital gets put on hold just like you do.

But it achieves at least 2 things. First, you are working on getting the bill resolved, so it generally keeps things out of a collection agency (never fun). Second, it often helps you make progress, getting an appeal started or getting extra paperwork in to make the correct determination. At least you usually know what you need to do next.

By the way, I’m very fond of letters. A letter to the hospital telling them that you are being incorrectly billed, that the correct responsible person is your husband (with address and phone number), with supporting documentation, might well dump this correctly onto your ex. The insurance company can legally talk to him, and you’ll have given him incentive to get somewhere on it.

If your letter doesn’t do it, I’d say that there’s a good chance your attorney’s letter would.

If you should get a call from a collection agency…. Don’t pay them. You don’t pay people just because they ask you to. You pay bills that legitimately belong to you. They’ll want you to, because that’s their business model. You’ll need to write a letter “disputing” the bill (and that word is important). Explain who really owns the bill. If they do mark your credit report in any way (not in my experience over medical things) they have to note the dispute. I have found the general level of heat goes down substantially once you dispute a bill.

If it should come to that stage, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is a must-read. You need to know what your rights are so you don’t put up with being abused.

Let’s just say, ya in a perfect world both parties may work together in communications to deal with insurance companies. But it isn’t. I think there needs to be Privacy Act Provision that allows the other/ex- spouse to discuss the case even though they are not the policy holder but they are the custodial parent.

I have been around the block on this so much, my BP just went up remembering it all.

I used to go through this shit with my insurance company regarding my daughter, for whom I had no custodial rights, yet was required to insure. Fricking idiots.