Brain trust healthcare question

[targa911S]

I am SO confused now.

Ok I retired from a company in Feb 06. I was told then by HR that I had med bens that were part of the group but at a cost to me. I signed up. All was well and I was receiving a monthly statement from the insurance company that I was paying. After a year, the premium increased to a point that I felt I could get insurance elsewhere at a lower rate, which I did. With my last premium payment to the former company I included a note saying this was my last payment and that I was canceling the policy. I now was using my new independent health care company and the premium notices from my employers insurance company stopped coming. I had been treated at a local hospital while under the old policy at one time. So then I had to have some procedures done and returned to the same hospital and provided the new health care policy info upon admittance. The tests were done and I moved along with my life, assuming that all the paperwork was done properly. Shortly after I received a bill from the hospital showing my share of the money due after deductibles from the health care provider. However, the hospital had submitted the claim to my former insurance company as they had not used the proper ID numbers for the current provider. The former insurance company DID pay a portion so that sent me a weird signal. I called the former insurance company and inquired why they had paid for them and they told me I was covered by my former employers policy. I called my former employers HR director an asked was I or was I not still insured. They said they would get back to me, which they did not, but instead sent me a new membership card. Life moved on, I cancelled the policy with the independent provider, and I never gave a thought to it anymore , or that I never got any statements from them. I never heard anything from my former employer either as to my coverage, only the package with new cards.
Now, today I get a call from HR at my former employer saying that I have not paid any premiums and that I owe ...get this ....$18,000.00 in back payments! I'm absolutely floored. I told them the story, and as of today have dropped me from the roles as an insured. However, they have not told me directly, but they have implied that they now want $18,000.00 from me. They also are implying that I defrauded the insurance by having the claims submitted to them, when I did not have anything to do with the submissions.

So what say ye of the Pelican brain trust. Should I be in a panic? Am I going to jail now? $18K is a LOT of money on a fixed income.

[Rick Lee]

Do you have a copy of the note you sent cancelling the policy? Look at the bright side - lenders don't really care about medical related stuff on credit reports. So if worse comes to worse, you can just tell them to pound sand.

[targa911S]

Thanks Rick. I'm retired and own all my stuff. No mortgage, no CC debt. I'm drawing a small pension and my wife is on SS disability. I don't plan on applying for any loans anytime soon. I have saving s for back up and I am currently shopping healthcare plans just to cover me for any catastrophic illness. My wife is covered by medicare and a supplement to pick up the slack. I just don't want them to grab my pension fund or put a lien on my home. I honestly don't feel at fault here. I don't have a copy of the cancellation request but I do have a copy of one of the statements that says if I don't pay they automatically cancel me in 30 days.

[Rick Lee]

Obviously, you're not at fault here, but that doesn't mean it won't get pinned on you in the end. My dad just lost his job and is searching for health insurance. I noticed Billy Mays is now pitching some kind of paln for folks in his and your position. Check it out.

[targa911S]

$18K is a LOT of pinning. Plus I resent the implication of intended fraud.

[targa911S]

Went through all my checks and papers tonight. I found the cancelation notice confirmation. I hope it will keep the wolf running.

[Tobra]

If you have all your documents, send them a certified letter.