Medical bills can rack up quickly. One Youngstown man continues to receive notice after notice of unpaid medical bills in the mail.

The problem is they're not for him. One patient with the same name racked up thousands of dollars worth of unpaid bills but was sent to the wrong man. It's an issue James Vaughn of Youngstown can't seem to fix and now Trumbull Insight's closure is yet another roadblock. 

The issues began in 2018 when a Trumbull Regional Medical Center patient with the same name was billed $1,614.00. But those bills were sent to the 'wrong' James Vaughn's house. Vaughn called the hospital to get the issue figured out as he is still unsure how his address was even affiliated with the 'other' James Vaughn.

"A couple of years later, I was going through paperwork, I found it and I thought, 'Oh well this was all taken care of and I have too much paperwork,' so I run it through the shredder," he told 21 News on Friday.

However, handfuls of notices have continued to arrive at Vaughn's house since. On Friday, April 11, Vaughn received a notice from a debt collection agency saying he still owed the money. He was unsuccessful in getting a hold of the debt collection agency that contacted him.

"I'm out for collection for the same debt that this all started with over 5 years ago," he said. "And I've disputed it. I'm on Medicaid and they're saying I traveled all the way from my home on the south side of Youngstown to go to Warren to get emergency room services? I live 6 miles from Boardman St. Elizabeth's and 4 miles from St. E's on Belmont Avenue. Why would I walk into the emergency room without my Medicaid and suggest they bill me later?"

It's a nightmare he tells 21 News he can't ignore, as collections are now involved. An added roadblock, Insight Trumbull's furloughs are in full effect with no one to contact about the concerns.

"When the hospital closed, I thought nothing of it. When I called, the receptionist's answering machine was working so I left a voicemail for her. But, there's no one there to straighten this out. I don't have the money for a lawyer."

Vaughn tried every avenue, also turning to the Better Business Bureau and Ohio Attorney General's Office looking for the end to an issue that won't go away.

Vaughn is hesitant to contact the 'other' James Vaughn, who supposedly lives in Niles. "I don't know how it might go," he explained. "He hasn't paid his bills and I don't want to get involved with that."

Vaughn knows the only solution from here would be to acquire a lawyer, something he says is not financially manageable at this time. 

"I find it funny that this was all supposed to be taken care of and when Insight Trumbull goes to close, all of a sudden they put me out for collection when it was already supposed to be settled."

Insight employees' furloughs could last until October of 2025.