Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Minnesota

Medical Bill

If paying on a bill, as long as you're making an effort to pay on it, can the place of service say that amount isn't good enough & demand that you pay a much higher amount you don't know if you'll be able to afford or send you to collection? I always thought as long as you were paying them something it was illegal for them to send you to collection?


Asked on 1/10/08, 10:59 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Sam Calvert Calvert Law Office

Re: Medical Bill

Most medical contracts would say: We will provide the service and you will pay us in 30 days. So you cannot change the contract by saying: "You provided the service, but instead of paying you in 30 days I will pay you $5 per month". It takes the agreement of the medical provider to agree to a payment arrangement. So, if they did not agree to be paid at the rate of $5 a month, they do not have to wait for payment.

If one side could change a contract like that, we would all tell our mortgage companies: "Instead of paying you $985 a month, I will pay you $10 a week."

It may be sensible of the medical provider to take payments instead of sending you to collection where you get mad and pay them nothing, but I do not think they are required to accept any old payment plan you think up.

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Answered on 1/10/08, 11:32 pm


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