A SINGLE mother says she’s trapped in a cycle that’s proving difficult to escape.
Kristina Mrocek shared how she’s fighting to get her medical bills covered while watching her tax refund vanish year after year.
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The Sandy resident, who is living with an autoimmune disorder that has caused blindness in one eye, is currently in debt to University of Utah Health.
The exact amount of debt? She’s not sure.
That’s because she’s still fighting with her health insurer to cover part of the outstanding balance.
In the meantime, the state of Utah continues to collect.
“They’ve been withholding my tax return every year for unpaid medical bills,” Mrocek told FOX 13 News.
Most recently, she said the Office of State Debt Collection took her $636 tax refund in 2023.
Because University of Utah Health is a state entity, unpaid bills are eventually handed over to the Utah Division of Finance, which oversees the Office of State Debt Collection.
A spokesperson for the University of Utah Health confirmed that accounts left unpaid after 120 days are forwarded to the Division of Finance – not directly to collections.
Patients are usually offered payment plans, financial assistance, and discounts before that happens.
But Mrocek says that’s not enough.
“I’m caught in this vicious cycle,” she said.
“They withhold my money, and I don’t 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 reviewing Mrocek’s case raised concerns about the transparency and fairness of the process.
Law professors Dalié Jimenez (University of California-Irvine) and Claire Johnson Raba (University of Illinois-Chicago) reviewed letters sent to Mrocek and other Utahns in similar situations.
Johnson Raba questioned whether the state’s notices meet due process requirements, citing a “lack of notification about hearing rights.”
It was also noted that the documents often reference a ‘judgment’ despite no court ruling being issued.
“That sounds very misleading,” Jimenez said.
Mrocek said what she wants is simple.
All she wants is a clear explanation, a chance to be heard, and the opportunity to resolve her debts without losing critical income during tax season.
“They give you a number to call,” she said.
She continued, “I’m a single parent. I don’t have the money or time to fight the state of Utah.”