Here's my story:
Several years ago I broke my collar bone in a skiing accident. Went to St. Mary's Hospital, gave them my insurance info and they patched me up. I received a statement from my insurance company AND the hospital, saying that my bill was taken care of, have a nice day. Three years later, I started receiving notices from a collection agency, saying I had a past due amount for $200 of emergency services. I called the collection agency and the hospital to find out what the problem was and they said that the bill was never taken care of. In the meantime, I didn't have the same insurance any more and couldn't even remember what company it was with. I had tossed the bills and the notices that the bills had been paid. So now it's my word against theirs.
My question is: Why did it take them three years to notify me of an outstanding balance, if in fact there was one? Had they even sent it a <i>year</i> later, I'd have still had the paperwork and could have disputed it.