Broke My HCA Contract

I broke my HCA residency contract after working there for a little over a year. Two months later I received a letter from the Benefit Recovery Group saying I owed them money. I reached out to different lawyers and basically got answers from all of them. One said there's nothing I can do but I could try to negotiate. Another said that because I never received the 10,000 that HCA values their training at the money I owe them is " a training fee acts as a penalty and under Texas law, it's not enforceable". So I emailed them a response with what the second lawyer said and never heard back. Today I got the same letter again stating I owed money, so I sent them the same email. 

Does anyone have an experience with not paying them back? When I quit I knew I'd have to pay and I was okay with that, but I'd rather not if I don't have to. Will they eventually just drop it or will they send my debt to collections?

77 Answers

Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

Here's what I don't understand. HCA's program has been around for a while and anyone can easily research it on the internet. Even here on Allnurses there are pages of posts on this subject alone. So one can and should enter in with eyes wide open. 

I entered a similar contract 30 years ago when I started nursing. The hospital that hired me sent me to specialized training in L&D training and I agreed to work for them for 2 years as a sort of internship and to gain experience. If I decided to leave prior to the two years I would owe the hospital a pro-rated amount of no more than $5000.00 minus 1250 for each 6 months completed. It was all spelled out very clearly in the contract and I had a lawyer look it over before I signed. So I knew that if I left prior to the two years I would owe them money. Period no argument. 

I have not seen a HCA contract but I am pretty sure the terms are clearly spelled out.  Signing a contract means that one fully understands and agrees to the terms. So if they decide the break the contract then they should be prepared to pay according to the terms and conditions of the contract they signed. 

I am sure that working for HCA is some sort of hellish indenturship but one has to get through it if they don't want to pay the penalty. 

Best to such it up formulate a payment plan and pay it off. Of take out a standard loan from a bank with reasonable interest and pay HCA off. Interest and penalties accrue the whole time one is fighting the contract so one can end up paying substantially more than the original amount and even after this payment it remains on a credit report for ten years which can lower a credit score and make it harder to get loans in the future. 

If you take another job with a sign on bonus use the bonus to pay off HCA. Do not negotiate with Benefit Recovery Group or any other collection agent as they collect an additional fee from the creditor. The last time I was in such a predatory situation I went directly to the head of the organization with the help of the attorney and managed to get the original amount reduced to 23 cents on the dollar and no mention on my credit report. 

The worst thing you can do is nothing. Do not sit and wait to hear from BRG (Benefit Recovery Group) as they, not you will benefit. Once you have established a relationship with the original creditor notify BRG in writing to "Cease and desist" in their efforts to collect on this debt. Examples of "Cease and desist" notices can be found on the internet. 

Good luck to you

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
On 8/15/2021 at 11:53 AM, klone said:

*** HCA. They are all that's wrong with healthcare in the US.

And, what?? You worked for 2 years and that's not enough for them? Exactly how long was the contract for?

OP said one year. It was probably a two-year contract if I had to guess. 

OP, they will continue to ask unless you actually have a lawyer intercede on your behalf. You sending an email means nothing to them. What does your contract say about penalties for breaking it early? 

Specializes in Dialysis.

My cousin had to pay back to them, HCA sued and threatened her license suspended (breach of contract). Ridiculously high rate. I got her to come back to my area where she got a job without that craziness

Specializes in Dialysis.
14 minutes ago, Lrjames98 said:

Ugh. How did they reach out to them or how did they find out they were getting sued?

She got a letter, like OP did. She contacted a lawyer and they originally told her no worries. It didn't work out that way, she was served papers at her new employer-nursing is a small world, they tracked her down, as she had also moved. She ended up having to beg, borrow and steal from family to pay, as it was a huge amount, as she had only worked 4 months at that horrid place. The things she told me let me know they are a shady operation, treat staff badly, and should be avoided by nurses at all costs!

9 hours ago, Lrjames98 said:

I’ve had different lawyers tell me different things so im conflicted on what to do.

This is just thinking out loud, take it for what it's worth.

Have the lawyers with whom you've spoken looked into this specific situation or are they offering you general information? I'm not so sure that the company in question doesn't have this figured out (or, figured out well enough to confuse a lot of people). I'm guessing it isn't as simple as "your employer can't charge you for required training" or anything like that.

If you've found a lawyer who tells you it is either illegal or unenforceable, that person should be able to send some kind of effective letter on your behalf (on the order of 'cease and desist'--??). On the other hand, if their advice is more on the order of 'it'll be hard for them to ever collect so just don't worry about it' - I would not feel comfortable with that. Either a lawyer can definitively take care of this or else they can't, in which case just pay them back and move on with your life.

Don't forget you may be dealing with a company called H_alth Tr*st (all one word). Just a different part of the web of advantage-taking.

Specializes in Dialysis.
10 hours ago, Lrjames98 said:

I’ve read that sometimes nothing ever comes if you refuse to pay but I’ve also read they’ll sue

I think they're pursuing more now, as they have bled staff. They have the resources to win, plus the signed contract as your acknowledgement of your debt. The ones that came to nothing usually never even got a letter. I'd get a lawyer who can give you definite answers, or pay up. I feel bad for nurses who have to deal with these jokers. We have issues all around in hospitals in my area, but nothing at this level

Specializes in Registered Nursse.

So, I'm in a pickle.  I'm in the first 6 weeks of the StaRN residency program, Houston tx. I yet have not received my att to test.  Will I be able to precept without license? If so, will I be able to "complete" the residency and receive relocation bonus with license?  I heard that if this happens, I could just work non-nurse related work with same pay until I have my license........

Also I heard that I can come back to make it to the "next cohort".  Any experiences or advise? 

Thanks!

Specializes in Occupational Health.

You have a signed contract that spells out the repercussions of failing to meet the agreed upon terms (I.e. you owe a prorated amount). Just because you don't want to pay  doesn't mean that you don't owe...you do. Here's an example...I buy a $50000 car under specified terms (interest rate, payment amount, # of years, etc.)...I get use the vehicle and do as agreed for 6 months but then I decide I don't want like the car or the agreement so I'm not going to pay anymore....what do you think will happen?

Fighting it is your choice but it'll probably cost you more than had you just paid what you owed.

17 minutes ago, sleepwalker said:

Here's an example...I buy a $50000 car under specified terms (interest rate, payment amount, # of years, etc.)...I get use the vehicle and do as agreed for 6 months but then I decide I don't want like the car or the agreement so I'm not going to pay anymore....what do you think will happen?

I don't deny the fact that OP may be responsible for this. But I have rebutted this example before and will continue to do so whenever I see it.

We have had an extensive thread about this. Car buying, home buying, etc., is not like what new grads are up against. They are told a lot of verbal information and they have no recourse when verbal information is worth nothing (which, it is worth nothing). That's their conundrum.

We have stipulated in previous threads that, for these reasons, these contracts are risky and that's a good reason to be prepared to stay or be prepared to pay. But no....the moral/ethical aspect here is not like just deciding not to pay for your new car.

Specializes in Occupational Health.
2 minutes ago, JKL33 said:

I don't deny the fact that OP may be responsible for this. But I have rebutted this example before and will continue to do so whenever I see it.

We have had an extensive thread about this. Car buying, home buying, etc., is not like what new grads are up against. They are told a lot of verbal information and they have no recourse when verbal information is worth nothing (which, it is worth nothing). That's their conundrum.

We have stipulated in previous threads that, for these reasons, these contracts are risky and that's a good reason to be prepared to stay or be prepared to pay. But no....the moral/ethical aspect here is not like just deciding not to pay for your new car.

Verbal information isn't worth squat. When you have a contract whatever is contained within the 4 corners/border of the document is what is agreed upon...nothing else. The OP has a contract with defined conditions so it doesn't sound like the OP is confused about what was agreed upon...OP just doesn't want to honor the agreement. 

So, respectfully, I disagree...the car buying analogy is EXACTLY like what the OP is posting and does encompass the same moral/ethical aspects of whether to do what is right (I.e. honor the agreement) or what is wrong (I.e. decide, for whatever reason,  to disagree with the contract and not honor it)

Specializes in Dialysis.
51 minutes ago, JKL33 said:

I don't deny the fact that OP may be responsible for this. But I have rebutted this example before and will continue to do so whenever I see it.

We have had an extensive thread about this. Car buying, home buying, etc., is not like what new grads are up against. They are told a lot of verbal information and they have no recourse when verbal information is worth nothing (which, it is worth nothing). That's their conundrum.

We have stipulated in previous threads that, for these reasons, these contracts are risky and that's a good reason to be prepared to stay or be prepared to pay. But no....the moral/ethical aspect here is not like just deciding not to pay for your new car.

If you think home sellers and car salesman are honest and the guff that they spew out is any better, I want to live where you do! The folks that get ram-rodded are also held to terms of contract. Everyone should do due diligence when signing ANY contract, and make sure that they understand everything. People signing contracts are adults and are expected to know to read it before signing

Specializes in CCRN, Geriatrics.

I would first determine the prorated amount of money HCA is asking for. To determine if it cost you more money to hire a lawyer. Also a lawyer may or may not guarantee that you won’t have to pay them back. But it all depends on the contract you signed. Im sorry you’re going through this. 

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