Ok. I will try to sum this up so it doesn't take too long. but i really need to know my next steps before i make an irrational one. my daughter has been going to the same daycare center, which is owned by the local hospital and is a bit pricey, since she was 6weeks old. there is an agency that assists in the paying of my daycare and i'm responsible for a copay which i've been paying since january. just recently the daycare changed directors and the new one went thru and cleaned up all the current accounts. upon cleaning she found that the people going thru this agency were being billed wrong from the daycare. the agency isn't responsible since they've paid their payments. but i am behind over $2000. not to mention with the adjustment i will now be paying more than twice what i originally have been. i'm a little upset because i feel like they should have caught this months ago before it got this far. they said they're not stressing over it but if i could pay a little extra every time it would help bring my balance down. i don't feel i should have to pay it because it was their 11month error. any suggestions.
Thanks again to all of the responses. I am now in the process of talking to a lawyer to see what my options are. I have an appointment today to talk to a lady that my fiance has known all of his life and she seems to be a great woman that has been doing daycare for about 20yrs. So I hope that works out. The daycare didn't seem too upset about my daughter leaving so I'm not too concerned with them.
I would personally tell them you aren't going to pay this outrageous bill created by the mistake of the previous director and if they want the money, to go after the director. If they still demand you to pay it (whether all at once or little by little) I'd tell em where they could put it, go get a lawyer and a new daycare.
i sure as heck wouldnt pay that. that is not your fault and you shouldnt be punished. however if they were to demand that you pay it or loose your place in the system i would say fine and find somewhere else. talk to the agency that helps you pay for it and see if there is another day care that they help cover and see if there are openings. that is what i would do.
To even say that they are not stressing over it and that individuals can pay whatever they can extra each payment sounds very strange to me! That is not the way business is handled! I would not pay them one dime of backpay. It was their mistake and they are trying to make up for it through you. Report this to your case worker and let them check into it for you. Don't sign anything committing yourself to this charge. Good luck!
First thing I would do is asks for all records of payments you made. even in they are co-pays. If the agency was making their payments on time and you paid your payment on time then you shouldnt be behind what is sounds like to me is that they are Trying to Raise the cost of tuition to that day care, and to save them from breaching contracts they are saying its a error but in your case a big error try to find other parents and see if this is happening to them i would even go as far as contacting Problem Solvers or channel 41. But, never agree to say you will pay for their mistake. Taking Law classes and You will be made to pay it. And If your contract says one thing and they want something else they are breaching your contract and they can be sued for that. But, Until Its resolved dont sign any papers from that day-care.
I consider myself a pretty business-savvy person, and am in fact very involved with the operations of my church's preschool/daycare. If this happened to us, and the billing mistake was ours, I can't imagine asking a single mom to cover it. If I were you, I would insist that they absorb the back-charges, but agree to the future rate (if it is legitimate).
And I agree with Suzi that you should also contact the agency that handles the subsidy. I think this is something they would want to know about.
We have a legal service here called "Prarie State Legal Service". See what you have available for free legal counciling. Or just call any lawyer, their first consultation is usually free, just not sure what kind of lawyer you should call
T.,
I can tell you from my own experience as a caregiver.. They are NOT allowed to charge you more than they are charging anyone else, including the co-payment. They may ONLY charge you the difference between what the state pays and what their going rate is. By my figures, based on a 4.3 week month (this accounts for the couple of days beyond 4 weeks).. Your charge would be 911.6. (monthly) The agency pays.. 773.14 (monthly) (weekly rate x 4.3 weeks). That leaves the 138 exactly for you to pay and absolutely not one penny more. They are trying to cheat the system. Either that, or they con't understand the system.
Suzi
