'Infinite money glitch': Guy saves $50,000 by calling out a health insurance bill with tons of mistakes

Author image for Jesse Kessenheimer
Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Oct 7, 2023 7:00 AM EDT

We've all heard nightmarish tales of exorbitant health insurance bills. Usually, patients don't come out on top, but in rare cases, regular folks like you and I can stick it to the big man up in the insurance towers. All it takes is a big lawyer voice, a little patience on the phone, and a pair of hefty stones. For most of us, the fear of confrontation or the lack of free time is enough to get us to simply pay our bills and be done with it, but when you're backed into a corner wondering if you'll ever get out of debt after breaking your arm, it might be time to get a little feisty with the billing office. 

In this case, a man who was recovering from a nasty car accident had some extra time on his hands to go over the details of his experience at the hospital. After receiving a terrifyingly expensive bill in the mail, OP decided to look up all of the health codes, compare pricing, then teach the receptionist at the insurance office not to mess with him. Uh oh. 

Scroll onward to enjoy the purely satisfying tale of how one man refused to pay his bill, pretended to be a lawyer, and saved himself $50k in the process. For more stories of people who stood up for themselves, check out this tale of a loverboy who refused to delay his marriage proposal just because his parents didn't want his sister to feel some FOMO. 

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  • 01
    Font - r/r/MaliciousCompliance Posted by u/Cowlthor 4 hours ago We only speak to an attorney, ok then... SOC I was in a very bad car accident in 2021. I ended up with a 5 day hospital stay and had to have
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  • 02
    Font - months of physical therapy and follow up care with a number of specialists. Most of the time, getting records, setting appointments, pre authorization,
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  • 03
    Font - or anything related to my care was simple and didn't involve much and almost always could be authorized by my name and birthdate. I called a provider who
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  • 04
    Font - had billed my insurance incorrectly so they wouldn't pay for it and I was getting stuck with the bill. The call went something like this:
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  • 05
    Font - Company: Hello, please be advised this call may be recorded for training and quality purposes. How many I help you today?
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  • 06
    Font - Me: I recently got care from X person at X location and there was some incorrect billing so I am being billed for it and not the insurance company.
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  • 07
    Organism - Company: Can I please have your name and birthdate (I provide it). I am unable to speak with you about this matter. Me: What? Why not?!?
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  • 08
    Font - Company: I am only authorized to talk to an attorney about this matter. Me (cue malicious compliance): ...!? Ok then, V I am representing myself for all legal manners, now please discuss this matter with me.
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  • 09
    Font - Company: silence for about 4 seconds One moment sir. I get put on hold for about 3 minutes and when they come back we get straight to
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  • 10
    Font - discussing my issue and get it quickly resolved. I don't think they had run into that before and had to figure out if that loophole counted (it does and always should). You HAVE TO HAVE an attorney my'
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  • 11
    Smile - Unique Engineering23. 3 hr. ago You know it's a BIG fup when they want to skip directly to the lawyers.
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  • 12
    Font - Cowlthor OP 3 hr. ago It ended up being for a bill that was charging me over $50k and insurance ended up paying somewhere around $500
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  • 13
    Font - arwinda 2 hr. ago If this is the USA, it's just another Tuesday. ✩ Vote Reply Formal_Fortune5389 2 hr. ago Today on I'm glad I'm Canadian Imao
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  • 14
    Font - jmurphy42 41 min. ago I suspect the rep was very confused. Generally once you get a lawyer involved they're trained to refuse to speak any further because only the company lawyers are allowed
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  • 15
    Font - to talk to other lawyers. A lawyer can eat a customer service representative alive and get all kinds of information out of them the company doesn't want them to have.
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  • 16
    Font - Techn0ght 2 hr. ago In other words they wanted to hide the issue because they knew they ed up? Vote Reply Share OCPik4chu 16 min. ago 100% this.
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  • 17
    Font - Korinin38 3 hr. ago "I am only authorized to talk to an attorney about this matter." "Ok, I work as an attorney. You can talk to me about it."
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  • 18
    Font - "... Sir, I'm sure that's not how it works." "You're right, you don't need an attorney to fix this issue."
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  • 19
    Font - zeroingenuity 3 hr. ago "Also, I'm now billing you for the time I'm spending explaining to you that you don't need an attorney."
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  • 20
    Rectangle - SpeakFri3ndandEnter. 1 hr. ago Infinite money glitch, bill yourself for all your hours as your own representation.
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  • 21
    Font - Ok_Entertainment328 3 hr. ago Outcome? Did it get corrected? ↑ Vote Reply Share Cowlthor OP. 3 hr. ago Yes, it took about 2 minutes once I got off hold
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  • 22
    Font - Orsombre 2 hr. ago Please don't forget to charge them, if there is any possibility to do so. Think about the other people they dared saying they needed an attorney :-(
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  • 23
    Hand
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refuse billboard insurance thread attorney malicious compliance lawyer phone call standing up for yourself petty revenge pay bills bill health healthcare reddit thread Reddit money health insurance
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