<prompt> Human: I was sent to the hospital December of 2010 and was billed 1500 for a dislocated shoulder. I didnt have a high paying job but wanted to pay for the bill without discounts, or help so the hospital opened a medical-credit account for me through Torrey Pines bank, in which I paid religiously since.Fast forward 3 months ago, I got the bill down to 109. At that time, I was also paying off a lot of my credit cards thanks to a 2nd job that gave me a lot of of extra hoursI thought that my Torrey Pines account is one of the credit accounts that I have paid off and so, I stopped paying the account. They used bankdatacenter.com as their online payment site, and that website doesnt show any history of payments or any current balance, so I had no way of checking if I paid it off I couldnt remember2 weeks ago, I received a collection letter asking for 249.00 plus 98.00 interest that was said I owed to the hospital. I found out that Torrey Pines sent back my 109 bill back to the hospital cause I stopped paying, then the hospital sent the bill to collectionI owe 109. Not 300 that the collection company wants.What can I do? I already sent them a mail that asking for a verification of the debt.In addition, rummaging through my unread mails. I found that last statement of me owing only 109. What can I do to fight the extra dollars that they want? I have every intention and capability to pay down that 109 bill.Assistant: You screwed up. Your financial administration should have been so good that you should have known you still owed them 109.As a result, all you can do is beg. Beg that they have mercy on you and let you off with the 109 only. Be nice and ask... And maybe they will humor you.Human: I screwed up. But does this give them the right to charge my anything more than what I owe and call it justified? Im not saying they shouldnt collect or charge me. I just what to pay what I really owe, and not the amount they want to charge  <response>: Its probably in the small print that you once signed. Debt collectors are often legally allowed to tack on fees for them handling your debt. It sucks but it is lawful and I guess I would also call at least some of the extra money justified because someone had to spend extra worktime on your case. 