California Business Bureau, Inc. California Business Bureau UNETHICAL PRACTICES, Disgrard for the law, justice and consumer protection laws!!! San Diego, California

I just recently received a bill from this company dated back to services from 7/2008 (a hospital stay from 7/29/2008 - 8/2/2008). A bill I had no idea I owed.

I since then have moved from CA to MN and just recently was laid-off from work.

I called the company to try and resolve this debt and was hung up on three times in a row by the designated Account Rep = Mary Castro. Upon calling a fourth time, I asked for a manager and I was transferred to George Stone (I can
not be sure this was his 'real' name, but this is who he 'claimed' to be).

I informed George of the fact that I was hung up on by Mary and he laughed and proceeded to be just as rude. I tried to talk with him so that I could understand the bill and found that they were changing over $100 in interest from the original bill of $750, and that this was because I was being charged 10% compounded interest per month.

I asked him why I was being charged for interest on a bill I was unaware of and he snickered and said, "so are you not going to pay your bill??"

I then said that I was calling to work out a reasonable payment plan so that I could pay for the bill. I informed him I was laid off and I could only pay a little over the interest rate. I asked if I could pay $20/month (which is a little over $10/month toward the full debt owed), but only until I could get back to work.
He laughed again and said "No, unless you can pay $100/month, we will not accept your payment." I argued and asked why they would not accept payments when I was actively trying to pay over the interest rate. And he then just continued saying, "So, you're not going to pay your bill? So you're not going to pay?" over and over and would not answer any of my
questions.
I then yelled my last question, "So, if I send in a payment, you are telling me that unless it is at least $100, you will send it back and not apply it to the balance??!"
"Yes," he said, "Will send it back. So are you going to pay or not."
As soon as I said "I AM TRYING TO create a viable payment plan with you, but until I return back to work I can only afford $20" he hung up on me.


How is this legal?? I was under the impression that as long as a person was trying to make an effort to pay off a debt that anything would be acceptable and apply to the balance and interest rate?? Especially due to the fact that this is a medical bill??!! Also, is interest even allowed to be billed on a medical bill??


I am now stuck between a rock and a hard place, and ALL I wanted to do was try to resolve the issue and pay off the debt. But, if they will not accept my payments, and they keep 'adding interest' how will I ever pay of the amount owed??!
 
Is there not a Consumer Protection Law or Right that protects us from this??
 

How can this be resolved?