Elan Financial Services Elan Financial Being charged $149 program fee 2 years after signing up for card - If I don't give them permission to charge they'll send to collections! St Louis, Missouri

I signed up for the HealthOne credit card two years ago for an elective surgery. I ended up getting pregnant so I wasn't able to get the surgery, but I kept the card because it had a large limit that looked good on the credit.

Now it's been 2 years and yesterday I got a letter saying that I owe them a $149 program fee and if I don't pay it in 30 days they are going to send it to collections. I called to inquire what was going on because I don't remember ever having this mentioned to me when i signed up for the card over the phone, and I definately didn't sign anything that said that because I NEVER would have signed up for a card that was going to cost me that much!

I finally got through and the first person couldn't really tell me anything, so I asked for a manager. She told me that this was a somethign they put on the porerecorded message before you sign up (I called back later to "pretend" I was going to sign up, there was no mention of this fee). I told her I don't remember that, nor do I remember the guy that signed me up telling me that, because if they had, I'd never had signed up, EVER! So she went on that I SIGNED something that said something about this fee, but she couldn't send it to me....convenient. She said that this fee is part of the sign up and they wouldn't issue the card if I hadn't agreed. Ok fine, I can't remember and I have no proof, so there, I guess i have to pay it I guess. So I ask her the ultimate question, why wasn't I charged this fee when I signed up 2 years ago then? Her first excuse was that they must have charged it but it was denied for soem reason, but she couldn't give me one. She suggested maybe it was over the ,limtit, but it never has been close because I never had the surgery! She can't come up with a reason so I ask why it hasn't been addressed until now? She says "oh well, it's our underwriters fault because they must of missed it." "So that's MY problem now?" I ask her. well, I can give you a 60 day extension she says and that's where I left it.

The thing I don't understand is, if I DID truely agree to this fee when I signed up for the card, why do they need my permission NOW, 2 years later, to charge me this amount? (they sent me with the letter a form to sign and fill out so they can charge me) I'm not sure what to do. They just seem full of excuses and without any documentation or proof of the conversation I had when I signed up, I've got nothing to stand on! This is really unfair! I wonder what would happen if I just canceled the card.... Hmmm...