If you have received a bill from River Valley Health Systems and don’t know what do to with them, you’re not alone.

Friday, March 02, 2001

If you have received a bill from River Valley Health Systems and don’t know what do to with them, you’re not alone.

Many people in the area are receiving hospital bills and have been unsuccessful at reaching anyone at the telephone number listed on the bill.

The telephone number listed reaches a voice recording informing the caller that the hospital is closed and gives another number for questions regarding records.

That number links the caller to the records site which does not have billing personnel on hand. Staffers at the record center said they received about 60 calls Monday from people having questions about their hospital bills.

Bob Payne, who was appointed the hospital’s receiver by the county court, said a billing system for the hospital has not been established.

He said bills sent in to the hospital are deposited and a payment record is being kept.

"Once we have a billing system in place, we will start to credit the payments to the patient’s accounts," said Payne.

The bills not only caught customers off guard, but surprised hospital officials as well.

Payne explained the bills were automatically generated by an off-site agency. Payne said he did not know the bills were sent out until Monday. He said Friday was the last day bills will be sent out on the automatic system.

"I am sorry that it happened," Payne said, "The bills were sent out automatically and we were unaware of it."

Payne said if customers receive notice that their account will be turned over to collection agency, they should submit proof of payment to the agency to correct their credit report.