Kristina Mrocek described how she fights to get her medical bills paid while watching her tax refund disappear year after year.
The Sandy resident, who suffers from an autoimmune disorder that has resulted in blindness in one eye, is currently in debt to University of Utah Health.
What is the exact amount of debt? She is not sure.
That is because she is still fighting with her health insurance company to cover some of the outstanding balance.
In the meantime, Utah continues to collect.
“They have been withholding my tax return every year for unpaid medical bills,” Mrocek explained to FOX 13.
Most recently, she claimed that the Office of State Debt Collection took her $636 tax refund in 2023.
Because the University of Utah Health is a state entity, any unpaid bills are eventually turned over to the Utah Division of Finance, which manages the Office of State Debt Collection.
A spokesperson for the University of Utah Health confirmed that accounts that remain unpaid after 120 days are forwarded to the Division of Finance, not collections.
Patients are usually offered payment plans, financial assistance, and discounts before this occurs.
However, Mrocek believes that is insufficient.
“I am caught in this vicious cycle,” she explained.
“They withhold my money, and I do not even know how much I owe completely, because I need things adjusted to fix that.”
While Utah law allows the state to withhold tax refunds to repay debts, legal experts who reviewed Mrocek’s case expressed concerns about the process’s transparency and fairness.
Law professors Dalié Jimenez (University of California-Irvine) and Claire Johnson Raba (University of Illinois-Chicago) examined letters addressed to Mrocek and other Utah residents in similar circumstances.
Johnson Raba questioned whether the state’s notices met due process requirements, pointing to a “lack of notification about hearing rights.”
It was also noted that the documents frequently refer to a ‘judgment’ even though no court ruling has been issued.
“That sounds very misleading,” Jimenez replied.
Mrocek stated that what she wants is simple.
All she wants is a clear explanation, a chance to be heard, and the ability to pay off her debts without losing critical income during tax season.
“They give you a number to call,” she explained.
She continued, “I am a single parent. I do not have the resources or time to fight the state of Utah.”