Advice: Debt collector

[LandyMan]

Your exact words:

This isn't a breach. They handed over the file for collection.

Even handing the file over, especially under GDPR, they CANNOT provide any details pertaining to medical treatment (procedure codes, etc).

Hell, we can't even get guys in India to work on our DEV systems (with medical details) due to GDPR.

 

[hellfire]

It really makes no difference whether the breach was internal or external. The result is the same in the context. They broke European law. How do you explain some random debt collector getting those details then? It wasn't legally.

It's not a random debt collector. They purposefully gave over this information to their collections agent. The OP will have signed some kind of agreement or contract upon admission around liability of hospital bills and costs of collection thereafter.
The hospital will have a contract / SLA with the debt collector that binds them into the same privacy laws under which the hospital operates.

 

[RedViking]

If it is prescribed debt (older than 3 years with no contact in between) ignore it. Don't even respond to the so called debt collector. Move on with your life. Or contact the hospital directly as most have said.

 

[chrisc]

Telkom came after me since someone who lives in Uitenhage (I have never been there and don't know anyone living there) took out a phone service using my name and ID and accrued a bill of R17000. This was back in 2003.

I started getting calls in 2006 asking me to pay and despite asking for a copy of the signed contract, never received it. In 2008 the whole amount was added to my home phone acc. I refused to pay and the phone was cut. It took 2 years to get it sorted and a home phone put back (with a different number). I was also blacklisted on ITC and the debt is still shown on ITCs files if you do an enquiry

 

[hellfire]

You can't confirm any of that

This is how debt collection works.

How does that exclude the hospital from the terms of the act? The debt collector has no knowledge that they even have the same person, yet they are dishing out private info? That's called a data breach and is in contravention to the law. And yes, the hospital is responsible ultimately for that breach.

You don't know that they didn't do an identity confirmation to establish right party contact. South African debt collection companies do this as they also can't divulge any information to the incorrect party.

 

[hellfire]

Telkom came after me since someone who lives in Uitenhage (I have never been there and don't know anyone living there) took out a phone service using my name and ID and accrued a bill of R17000. This was back in 2003.

I started getting calls in 2006 asking me to pay and despite asking for a copy of the signed contract, never received it. In 2008 the whole amount was added to my home phone acc. I refused to pay and the phone was cut. It took 2 years to get it sorted and a home phone put back (with a different number). I was also blacklisted on ITC and the debt is still shown on ITCs files if you do an enquiry

You should dispute (hopefully you still have records) and have it expunged.

 

[chrisc]

Telkom do not expunge the record as according to them, the debt is valid. Have tried a few times and refuse to spend money on a lawyer to do it

 

[Brawler]

I still haven't solved this.
Travel insurance wants a copy of the details from the hospital. Tried to contact the hospital and received a response in Dutch which I haven't done anything about yet. I think they want a copy of my ID book.
The fact still remains that this is now with these bottom feeders at Pienaar. At the moment I'm thinking about just paying to make it all go away. I don't want to risk a bad credit record for this BS. Have read complaints on google they give you a bad credit record anyway even after paying I wouldn't be surprised. That guy on the other end of the phone seemed highly unprofessional and I'd imagine there is little recourse.

Also surprised that no one seems to know if you can be listed for overseas debt?

 

[supersunbird]

I still haven't solved this.
Travel insurance wants a copy of the details from the hospital. Tried to contact the hospital and received a response in Dutch which I haven't done anything about yet. I think they want a copy of my ID book.
The fact still remains that this is now with these bottom feeders at Pienaar. At the moment I'm thinking about just paying to make it all go away. I don't want to risk a bad credit record for this BS. Have read complaints on google they give you a bad credit record anyway even after paying I wouldn't be surprised. That guy on the other end of the phone seemed highly unprofessional and I'd imagine there is little recourse.

Also surprised that no one seems to know if you can be listed for overseas debt?

Only if register with the NCR, which I doubt they will be.

 

[airborne]

Have you established yet whether you do in fact owe anyone money in this case, either you do or your don't?

And if it's a mistake, as if often the situation with hospital admissions, billing nightmare, then you need to ask the insurance to settle with the hospital.

Are you sure the insurance claim didn't have a co-payment or claim excess?

If there was that excess may have been payable to the hospital and then the balance of the cost claimed from the insurance or something similar. I wouldn't be surprised if almost all medical cover for travel policies have excesses on claims, even just to prevent frivolous claims or reduce the cost of the underwriters risk and hence the policy cost.

 

[Former member 61586]

I still haven't solved this.
Travel insurance wants a copy of the details from the hospital. Tried to contact the hospital and received a response in Dutch which I haven't done anything about yet. I think they want a copy of my ID book.
The fact still remains that this is now with these bottom feeders at Pienaar. At the moment I'm thinking about just paying to make it all go away. I don't want to risk a bad credit record for this BS. Have read complaints on google they give you a bad credit record anyway even after paying I wouldn't be surprised. That guy on the other end of the phone seemed highly unprofessional and I'd imagine there is little recourse.

Also surprised that no one seems to know if you can be listed for overseas debt?

If it isnt possible to be listed for overseas debt, and these people still list you, which they probably will as that is how lawyers roll, would you still pay it? It seems like not being blacklisted is more important to you. So just pay it.

 

[Pitbull]

I still haven't solved this.
Travel insurance wants a copy of the details from the hospital. Tried to contact the hospital and received a response in Dutch which I haven't done anything about yet. I think they want a copy of my ID book.
The fact still remains that this is now with these bottom feeders at Pienaar. At the moment I'm thinking about just paying to make it all go away. I don't want to risk a bad credit record for this BS. Have read complaints on google they give you a bad credit record anyway even after paying I wouldn't be surprised. That guy on the other end of the phone seemed highly unprofessional and I'd imagine there is little recourse.

Also surprised that no one seems to know if you can be listed for overseas debt?

Wait,

It's 3, yes THREE months later and you haven't done shyte from your side to try and resolve it?

Just pay Pienaar, you obviously are not taking this very seriously...

 

[hellfire]

I still haven't solved this.
Travel insurance wants a copy of the details from the hospital. Tried to contact the hospital and received a response in Dutch which I haven't done anything about yet. I think they want a copy of my ID book.
The fact still remains that this is now with these bottom feeders at Pienaar. At the moment I'm thinking about just paying to make it all go away. I don't want to risk a bad credit record for this BS. Have read complaints on google they give you a bad credit record anyway even after paying I wouldn't be surprised. That guy on the other end of the phone seemed highly unprofessional and I'd imagine there is little recourse.

Also surprised that no one seems to know if you can be listed for overseas debt?

You can't get a bad credit record for this. Don't let them scare you