Would This Collections Call Annoy You?

I'm a person who doesn't like owing people money.

Nobody is perfect, but I really try to pay my bills on time. I wasn't always able to do it when I was younger, so it's something that is important to me.

I think that's why I'm taking this a little personally.

I had a procedure done at a healthcare facility in November, and everything went great. On December 18, I got a bill in the mail advising me that I was responsible for a $300 copay. No problem there, I was expecting that.

It was the week before Christmas, so there was a lot going on. I didn't immediately sit down and pay the bill.

Four days after I got the bill, I got an automated call from the healthcare facility informing me that I had an "important message." I nervously called right away.

This is what the call sounded like (I edited out the business name and number to protect them):

When I was connected with a live person, she asked me about my plans to pay off my balance.

I'm not going to lie, I was a little taken back to get a collections call four days after receiving a bill. When I asked them about it, the person in the billing department told me that it was just a "courtesy call." Ok, whatever. I made a mental note to pay them the next time I sat down to do bills.

Yesterday, I got a second call from the billing department asking me when I planned on paying the bill. Keep in mind, I received this bill on December 18. It hasn't even been 20 days since it arrived.

I asked them about their policy. Did they expect people to pay their bills in under 30 days?

"No, this is just a courtesy call," she politely said.

I hate to say it because I love this particular healthcare organization, but I don't think calling someone twice about a bill less than 20 days old is courteous. I'm just not feeling it.

I was actually offended. I got in my car, drove down to the healthcare facility and paid the bill because I didn't want to get another call.

My wife joked that I was being too sensitive about it, but I don't think I am. I think it's out of line for a healthcare facility to place two "courtesy calls" (call them what you want) to a patient on a bill that is less than 20 days old.

I can't be the only person who has received a call like this on a brand new bill. Do you know anyone who got a call like that?