TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tyler Pope was stunned when his parents told him they received his hospital bills at his childhood home. Bills for a stay in December that never happened.
“I’m like, “This isn’t me,” Pope said. “How did this happen?”
Pope says the mysterious bills came from Manatee Memorial Hospital and said he was a patient there on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3. The bills were from the hospital and several other medical professionals.
Pope says he has lived in North Carolina for the past seven years and says he hasn’t been to Manatee Memorial Hospital since the day he was born in 1984. But he says the billing department at the hospital did not correct the error, despite his numerous attempts to plead his case.
“It sounded like they didn’t believe me,” he said. “I typed up my little letter and I’m emailing to six different departments around America explaining this, all certified letters. Zero response.”
In addition to the bills, Poke worried about the medical records under his name. He requested the file and was shocked by what he saw.
“It’s a guy who’s 6 foot 1,” he said. “I’m 5 foot 6 who was picked up by an ambulance.”
Not knowing where else to turn, he called Better Call Behnken. Behnken reached out to the hospital, and within 24 hours, was promised a resolution.
Manatee Memorial sent this statement:
“This was a case of mistaken identity. The issue was promptly and completely resolved. The person who was mistakenly identified has been contacted and notified that they are not responsible for any charges, and that their medical record was not affected. We apologized to those involved for the confusion and appreciate the opportunity to make this important correction.”
