oatnet
1 MW
A few weeks ago I had an accident on my e-Moto, and afterwards I went to the Emergency Room to get checked out. The ER visit was covered by my Health Insurance, with a modest copay. I've been expecting the typical billing process, where the Hospital charges a ridiculously inflated amount, and my Insurance Company "negotiates" it down to an industry standard rate. The negotiated rate is typically 1/3 or 1/4 of what the Hospital charges - I guess the hospital's prices start out so high to have a stronger negotiating position.
A week later I got a legitimate letter from the hospital, saying that a third party company "Hunter Donaldson" would be looking into my accident, to see if someone else could be paying my medical bills. If I was the victim in the accident, they would make the person responsible pay so my health insurance wouldn't have to. The letter included a long form that "I could fill out if I wanted to speed up the process." Since it was a single-person accident, and I try to keep my personal information private, I didn't bother filling it out.
The calls from (866)964-3758 started a week or two after that. The voicemails were all the same, an automated voice that spelled out the same 9 characters; it was cryptic and a little bit creepy. Clearly a case of "social engineering", to get you to call back and ask them what the 9 numbers mean... Eventually curiousity made me succumb, and I called the number from a different phone - although my caller ID is blocked, it was a 1-800 number so they see my number anyhow. It was answered by an automated attendant that said "You have reached Hunter Donaldson, please wait for the next available..." The company name was a bit garbled (intentionally?) in the recording, so I had to listen to it a few times to get the name down.
I googled Hunter Donaldson, and found out all about this shady company's scam. Their business model is to put a Lien on the accident victim's settlement, and bill the medical care to that settlement, instead of the accident victim's Health Insurance.
Why? Instead of getting paid the reasonable rate "negotiated" by Health insurance, The hospital can charge the inflated, un-negotiated rate, tripling or quadrupling their "take." The Health Insurance intended to cover these accidents go unbilled, and the accident victim loses their compensation for pain and suffering.
This is clearly a loophole scam, and Hunter-Donaldson of Brea, CA is currently under investigation for THOUSANDS of fradulent claims submitted in Washington State (google their name!). It is mind-boggling that my local hospital would abuse people under its care, to maximize it's profits.
Accident Victim, beware.
A week later I got a legitimate letter from the hospital, saying that a third party company "Hunter Donaldson" would be looking into my accident, to see if someone else could be paying my medical bills. If I was the victim in the accident, they would make the person responsible pay so my health insurance wouldn't have to. The letter included a long form that "I could fill out if I wanted to speed up the process." Since it was a single-person accident, and I try to keep my personal information private, I didn't bother filling it out.
The calls from (866)964-3758 started a week or two after that. The voicemails were all the same, an automated voice that spelled out the same 9 characters; it was cryptic and a little bit creepy. Clearly a case of "social engineering", to get you to call back and ask them what the 9 numbers mean... Eventually curiousity made me succumb, and I called the number from a different phone - although my caller ID is blocked, it was a 1-800 number so they see my number anyhow. It was answered by an automated attendant that said "You have reached Hunter Donaldson, please wait for the next available..." The company name was a bit garbled (intentionally?) in the recording, so I had to listen to it a few times to get the name down.
I googled Hunter Donaldson, and found out all about this shady company's scam. Their business model is to put a Lien on the accident victim's settlement, and bill the medical care to that settlement, instead of the accident victim's Health Insurance.
Why? Instead of getting paid the reasonable rate "negotiated" by Health insurance, The hospital can charge the inflated, un-negotiated rate, tripling or quadrupling their "take." The Health Insurance intended to cover these accidents go unbilled, and the accident victim loses their compensation for pain and suffering.
This is clearly a loophole scam, and Hunter-Donaldson of Brea, CA is currently under investigation for THOUSANDS of fradulent claims submitted in Washington State (google their name!). It is mind-boggling that my local hospital would abuse people under its care, to maximize it's profits.
Accident Victim, beware.
so I'm not sure. One of my co-workers has a wife in the health care industry, he knew about it and asserted a lot of places do it... 
), so I can't be entirely sure there wasn't something about Hunter Donaldson slipped in the middle of it, but I don't remember any. Assuming there was not, I don't think they can compel me to interact with Hunter Donaldson. Besides, I provided them with a legitimate form of payment, health insurance with coverage for this very type of Healthcare need.
