We, the undersigned patients and citizens, issue this petition to call for an immediate investigation and reform of ER Consulting Inc.’s billing and collections practices. Our concern arises from repeated experiences—documented by many patients—of undisclosed fees, duplicate billing, and aggressive debt-collection by ER Consulting. For example, patients have paid their full hospital accounts at discharge only to receive separate ER Consulting invoices weeks later. In several cases, these charges were never explained or authorized in advance. This lack of transparency violates consumers’ rights under South African law. We demand that ER Consulting publicly address and correct these practices.

Key issues raised:

Hidden or delayed invoices: Patients report being billed months after treatment, with no prior notice, even when hospital or medical aid payments were already made.
Aggressive collections: ER Consulting has threatened patients (including parents on behalf of children) with legal action or credit blacklisting despite disputed or settled accounts.
Non-disclosure of fees: In multiple instances, patients were never informed that ER Consulting doctors charge separately; this violates the CPA’s requirement for clear cost disclosure.
Lack of response to complaints: Formal disputes sent to ER Consulting’s governance team went unanswered, forcing patients to appeal for help publicly (e.g. via complaints sites) with no resolution.
Legal context: Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2008 (Act No. 68 of 2008), healthcare providers and suppliers must deal fairly with consumers. In particular, the CPA guarantees that prices and fees be fully disclosed upfront in plain language. Consumers have the right to know the unit cost of services to avoid hidden charges. By failing to inform patients of the separate ER Consulting charge at the point of service, ER Consulting has violated these consumer rights. Moreover, debt-collection actions should not proceed on a disputed amount without due process. We note that the National Credit Act and credit bureau regulations similarly prohibit unfair reporting of debt without providing consumers an opportunity to resolve disputes. ER Consulting’s practices undermine these legal protections and erode trust in healthcare.

ER Consulting Inc. public reviews speaks for itself >> https://share.google/nAfhGosp1HoB3oRCC  

Petition Demands
Transparent Billing: ER Consulting must immediately disclose all charges and billing arrangements in advance. Any service that may be invoiced separately (e.g. by ER Consulting doctors) should be clearly communicated in writing at the time of consultation. Patients should be provided a consolidated, itemized final account at discharge, with one inclusive total. This will prevent “hidden” fees and comply with the CPA’s pricing disclosure requirements.
Halt Collections on Disputes: We demand that ER Consulting withdraw any outstanding demands and credit bureau listings related to these disputes. Until the above concerns are resolved, no patient should face debt collectors or legal action for an invoice that was not properly disclosed. Specifically, any records already sent to collection agencies or listed with credit bureaus must be immediately retracted or suspended pending investigation.
Independent Audit and Public Report: We call for an independent audit of ER Consulting’s billing and collections practices over the past 2–3 years. This review should be conducted by a neutral party (e.g. a regulatory ombudsman or audit firm) and include examination of patient records and financial transactions. The findings must be published, and clear corrective actions implemented. Patients and stakeholders deserve assurance that ER Consulting will cease any unethical billing methods.
Patient Remediation: Affected patients should receive formal acknowledgment of these errors. This includes written confirmation that disputed amounts are void, reimbursement of any wrongful collection costs, and a credit bureau clearance letter where applicable. ER Consulting should also issue a public apology for the distress and reputational harm caused.
Regulatory Enforcement: We urge the relevant authorities – including the National Consumer Commission, the National Credit Regulator, and the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) – to investigate ER Consulting for compliance with consumer and healthcare laws. This petition will be shared with these bodies to ensure patient rights are protected.
By signing below, we support this petition for corporate accountability. We believe that healthcare providers must maintain high standards of transparency and ethics. ER Consulting must be held responsible for practices that have left patients feeling misled, harassed, and defrauded. We call on ER Consulting’s management and stakeholders to act swiftly to restore trust in emergency care billing.