A McAllen man is disputing nearly $700 in unwanted medical bills for services he refused.

Gerry Chua said he bruised his knee in November 2021 after he was hit by a driver while on his bike near the intersection of 10th Street and Trenton Road.

Chua said he told EMS crews at the scene he didn’t want medical treatments and signed papers confirming his refusal of services.

In January, Chua received a bill for $695.

“I was shocked,” Chua recalled. “I was thinking ‘This is a fraud,’ so I just ignored it for a few months."

That bill ended up with a collection agency last month. Chua said he sent the agency the police report that shows he refused treatment. The agency said his case could take about 30 days to settle.

“I'm just praying that this will not happen to anybody,” Chua said.

Consumer Reports says if this happens to you, and you’re insured, you can have your agency fight on your behalf.

"They might either pay the bill or say ‘Here's why it's ineligible to be paid,’ and they could have told the provider that it wasn't eligible for payment,” Consumer Reports Programming Director Chuck Bell said.

If you’re not insured, Bell says to “make sure the ambulance provider knows your insurance status, that would be the important thing to do."

You can also file a complaint with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services if you receive an unexpected bill.