Hospital Sends 4-Year-Old to Collections After Billing for ER Visit

A 4-year-old boy was billed for an emergency room visit and then sent to collections, despite being insured through his father's employer, HCA Healthcare. The family was referred to a burn center by the emergency room doctor, who promised that they would not be billed. However, months later, the family received a bill from Envision Physician Services, the provider staffing service that employed the ER doctor. The family was unable to dispute some of the charges because the bills were addressed to the child, not the parents. The hospital eventually canceled the family's debt after being contacted by the media. Patients should ensure their name is listed as the responsible party when seeking medical care for a minor and document every interaction with debt collectors.