Hi PF,
I recently had an interesting experience with a dentist office in my town. As a backstory, I went to this dentist when I was a child but recently moved back to my original hometown and ironically went back to my old dentist.
After a recent cleaning I was informed that I had a past due balance from the year 2000. At this time I was six years old. I was informed that I owed about 100 dollars that was never paid. I told them that I had no recollection of coming here as I was so young and asked them why they had not tried to collect from my parents over the course of all these years. After telling me that they cannot talk about other patients without them being present, the receptionist then told me that my mother had a past due balance from 1998!! I'm almost certain this violates some HIPA law.
I told them that they can bill my current insurance for the cleaning today and I would speak to my father regarding the previous debt.
I do not plan to go back to this dentist, this is very shady and I find it odd that they would lose me as a patient over an 100 dollar balance from 17 years ago. Trying to collect from a then minor is rather sad.
Question, what power does the dental office have in this situation? Can they possibly send me to collections over a balance from when I was 6 years old? I'm now 22 for what it's worth.
Also, this is NJ if it matters.
Thanks!
Submitted April 24, 2017 at 08:17AM by DunkinDonutsCoffee http://ift.tt/2p9lRqP
