St. Francis Hospital Destroyed my Credit by Sending an Unknown Bill For Medical Imaging To A Debt Collection Agency - Physician's Diagnostic Imaging Roslyn NY

St. Francis Hospital Physicians Diagnostic Imaging, Diagnostic Imaging Center, Department of Radiology Physicians Diagnostic Imaging, St. Francis Diagnostic Imaging Center, St. Francis Hospital The Heart Center, Catholic Health Services, St. Francis Diagnostic, Department of Radiology, Patient Billing, Diagnostic Imaging Center, Catholic Health Services of Long Island St. Francis Hospital

I was happy with the personnel and treatment I received at St Francis Hospital.  I had health insurance that what was supposed to have payed for all expenses for my brief hospital stay.  The only bills I received were from my insurance showing the services rendered and the deductible that I agreed to pay.  

I suddenly get an alert from credit card company that they are significantly reducing my credit limit because of a substantial change in my credit, and another line of credit would increase its interest rate - my heart sunk because I was building up my credit to apply to buy a home.  I checked my credit report and it writes that I owe money to "Physician's Diagnostic Imaging." I had no idea what this was so I called "Physician's Diagnostic Imaging" and they told me that I have a certain amount of money due and if I wanted to pay it then. 

I asked them what this was and he said he was a debt collector hired by St Francis Hospital.  I said that I was never notified about this matter that was over 1 year ago and he said that he has no knowledge of what has been going on.  I called St Francis Hospital and they said there was some discrepancies regarding how much the hospital deemed to charge and how much the insurance would pay.  My insurance plan is supposed to cover 100% of imaging costs.  St Francis Billing Department said that the bill has already been turned over to a collection agency and that I must deal with them.  

The bill was not a large sum and I thought that if I paid it - the problem may go away - but I didn't know how to deal with collection agencies.  I called a financial analyst and asked what to do.  He said that if I were to pay the collection agency - they would mark the case as closed, but it would remain on my credit for up to 7 years. He told me to collect my files and contest the collection agency report.  With help, I have now been able to remove this life-ruining stain from 1 out of 3 credit agencies (after 4 months).  

I felt betrayed by St Francis Hospital in that pursue a great mission of healing - But by putting patients in the hands of collection agencies they endanger the ability of people to have a place to live and not fall back in to the stresses that may have helped sicken them in the first place.

I hope that St. Francis Hospital reassesses the relationship between life-destroying collection agencies and the wellbeing of the lives they touch.