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Greendale man gets medical bills, collection notice after name mix-up
An insurance provider mailed out its invoice for an ambulance ride to a Greendale man. There was just one problem: It went to the wrong Karl Hackbarth.
GREENDALE, Wis. - First, it was insurance bills. Then, the collection notice. The bills were all sent to a Greendale man who says he’s never even been in an ambulance.
While playing golf in Kewaunee County in July, Karl Hackbarth suffered a medical emergency. An ambulance took him several miles to Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay. Three months later, an insurance provider mailed out its invoice for the ambulance ride. There was just one problem: It went to the wrong Karl Hackbarth.
"It wasn’t me, but I got the bill," said Karl Hackbarth in Greendale.
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There are several Karl Hackbarths in Wisconsin – and even more with slight variations of the spelling.
"Everyone I’ve talked to has said, ‘We’ll take care of this [bill]. We understand.’ Well, no one’s taken care of it," said the Karl Hackbarth in Greendale.
Karl Hackbarth receives bill in medical mix-up
Hackbarth said his first bill for the ambulance ride was just $100. His insurance had already approved coverage for the rest.
"I immediately called them up," said Hackbarth.
He said he explained there was a mix-up. After hanging up the phone, he thought the mistake was fixed. It wasn’t.
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"At that point in time, I got a full bill from Kewaunee [Area Ambulance] for $1,800," said Hackbarth.
Hackbarth made another phone call and explained the mistake, again. Following the conversation, Hackbarth got a notice from a debt collector. Feeling frustrated, Hackbarth wrote to Contact 6.
"I’m confident Aurora does know who they had in the hospital that day," said Hackbarth.
Aurora BayCare Medical Center
Contact 6 emailed Aurora Health Care and the debt collector on Hackbarth’s behalf. The ambulance bill was promptly dropped.
Aurora Health Care sent a statement that said, in part, "We are…committed to providing the necessary support to help patients navigate concerns and work to address issues when they arise, including with outside companies who may be involved."
Contact 6 traveled two hours north looking for more answers. In northeastern Wisconsin, Contact 6 met the other Karl Hackbarth. He didn’t want to do an on-camera interview, but confirmed he took the ambulance ride in July. He also stated he’d recently gotten a call from his health insurance provider, explaining there had been a mix-up with his ambulance bill. He was assured the bill was taken care of, and he wouldn’t be charged any interest.
Karl Hackbarth receives bill in medical mix-up
The debt collector for Kewaunee Area Ambulance is Life Line Billing Systems LLC, which was acquired in 2022 by EMS Management & Consultants (EMS/MC). The chief compliance officer for EMS/MC, Kim Stanley, said upon hearing from Contact 6, it "immediately took action to address the situation…Life Line Billing acknowledges the mistake made and apologizes for any confusion or inconvenience."
It was a case of mistaken identity that Karl Hackbarth in Greendale can finally put behind him. He’d immediately suspected the reason for the billing mix-up because he’d been emailed the other man’s test results months earlier.
Aurora Health Care tells Contact 6: "We are firmly dedicated to safeguarding patients’ information and have rigorous privacy measures in place that we are continually enhancing."
Hackbarth wrote in an email: "Thank you and Contact Six for getting to the bottom of this with a happy ending for me!"
Kewaunee Area Ambulance
Full Statement from Life Line Billing:
"Upon learning on May 3, 2023, that Mr. Hackbarth was not the intended patient for the account, Life Line Billing immediately took action to address the situation appropriately. Recognizing the importance of accurate communication and respecting the privacy of our customers, we ceased all further communication with Mr. Hackbarth. This swift action ensured that no further misunderstandings or inconveniences occurred for Mr. Hackbarth. Life Line Billing acknowledges the mistake made and apologizes for any confusion or inconvenience caused." – Kim Stanley, Chief Compliance Officer, EMS/MC
Full Statement from Aurora Health Care:
"We are firmly dedicated to safeguarding patients’ information and have rigorous measures in place that we are continually enhancing. We are equally committed to providing the necessary support to help patients navigate concerns and work to address issues when they arise, including with outside companies who may be involved. We are grateful this issue has been resolved."