Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Sarasota, Florida Billed $315 for inhaler I did not receive Sarasota Florida

On 1/26/18 I was an overnight patient at SMH for the insertion of a pacemaker. I had all my meds with me, but on the evening of 1/26, I was administered these medications from the hospital pharmacy by a nurse  At the same time I was offered an asthma inhaler, which a) I did not need and b) it was not the one I normally use, so I refused it. I did not touch the inhaler and it remained in its original packing. The nurse told me it would be returned to the hospital pharmacy.

Upon receipt of the hospital bill, most of the charges having being paid by Medicare and United Health, I was held responsible for the medication costs, including $315 for the inhaler, which I had refused. I called the billing dept and was told that this is what I had received and that if I disputed the charge, I should contact a patient advocate, whose contact details the agent gave me. I did this in writing and was told that according to the documentation on my chart, I had been administerd the inhaler and there was no notation that it had been returned to the pharmacy. I wrote a second letter with the same response.

I then wrote to the Better Business Bureau, who contacted the hospital, but received the SMH response.

In the meantime the SMH claim has been put into the hands of a collection agency. I have spoken to them and they tell me this claim will be reported as disputed. My view is that this amounts to extortion by Sarasota Memorial by their putting this matter into the hands of a collection agency and demanding payment for something I never received.

This is the first time in my 78 years that I have been accused of not paying a bill; my credit record is impeccable and I really resent this action by SMH, whose treatment and attention in the several previous times have been beyond reproach.