Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in New York

Re: Medical Bills

You may have rights that protect you from the MD's attempt to collect the balance. First, you should check if you signed anything in the doctor's office that binds you to pay if insurance does not cover the bill. You may have signed a statement to that effect when you first visited the doctor. If not, you are NOT responsible for the balance. Second, write to the doctor and the insurance company that you only agreed to the test on the condition the insurance company would pay the portion you did not pay...and the doctor agreed that your responsibility would be half (which you paid). I believe there may be some statutes that prevent the doctor from looking to you for payment if the insurance company does not cover his bill in full...You should also write to the insurance company advising them of the situation (notice after 2 years, etc.) and they may give you the answer that you want to hear...that the MD cannot come after you. If nothing works, try to make a settlement with the doctor and if that fails do nothing until you are contacted by a lawyer and try to settle then. A court may be sympathetic to your plight so don't be afraid of going to court! The worst that can happen is you end up paying the bill a long way down the road.