A Colorado medical billing company agreed to refund about 40 Colorado consumers nearly $13,000 after the company sent them allegedly “deceptive” billing notices about out-of-network fees, according to the Attorney General’s Office. 

The company, Flatirons Practice Management, sent statements to consumers who had received treatments from out-of-network surgical assistants that stated the documents were not bills, but that the patients needed to contact their insurance companies and ask that the treatments be processed as in-network claims. According to a news release, the notices caused some patients to believe there was an issue with their insurance and confused them about their obligations to pay. 

The statements were sent out between about December 2018 and October 2019, the release says, and about 40 consumers made payments.

Flatirons has agreed to refund the patients $12,933.89 – the total of what they paid – following an investigation by the Consumer Protection Section of the Colorado Department of Law. As part of a settlement with the state, Flatirons has not admitted wrongdoing or liability for the allegations.

“Facing illness or injury is a heavy burden, and Flatirons’ deceptive practices heightened that stress for people at a vulnerable time when they were struggling with a potentially life-threatening illness,” said Attorney General Phil Weiser in a statement. “Today’s settlement makes plain that such unfair and harmful practices are illegal and that those who harm consumers will be held accountable.”

A call to the company seeking comment was not immediately returned.