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I went through a major medical procedure a few years ago and there was portion of the medical bills that was left unpaid. The debt is INDEED mine. However, the hospital turned it over to a collection agency. I was still in college and didn’t care. Now I want that off my credit report. I am willing to pay off the amount how ever the CA is saying that they won’t take it off the credit report. Should I deal directly with the hospital as they are the original Creditors? If their bill is paid in full, will this thing come off my credit report? Or will the collection agency stop it?
Hi,
First you have to know the SOL of your state. If its past the SOL expiry date then you are no more obligated to pay it off.
However in your case you have to deal with the collection agency not the OC. Are they communicating via writings? If so it will be prudent to do the same. However if you are willing to pay off the debt and want the same to be reported to the CRA's talk to them and try and negotiate for your own benefit. I am sure if you make payments which should never be in cash (it is better to keep documentation of every transaction) they will be willing to report the status to the CRA.
Good Luck.
Hello,
Once the debt is turned over to the collection agency you cannot contact the OC unless it is for clarification of any wrong information. Otherwise the negotiation part has to be done with the CA. If you are willing to pay, they should not have any problem dealing with this case.
Keep us posted..
Medical collections
I just saw the notes that you have to deal with a collection agency once the health care provider gives it over. I have been making good on alot of old, some very small, some a bit bigger, medical collections that have accumulated over the years.
I have gone directly to the original creditor each and every time. They generally have been happy to take 50% or less on them and to notify the collection agencies that they have been paid in full. So far everything has gone ok - they don't go away off of the report but have all been changed to paid. I don't deal with collection agencies at all.
The thing I didn't realize is that it doesn't matter - paying an old collection will do nothing to increase your score
Sting,
If you pay the bills to the hospital the Collection agency cannot do anything about it i.e. they cannot stop the OC from giving a report to the Credit Agencies. You can give it a try.
Chris welcome to the forum
You have been lucky. There are people who still have to deal with the collection agencies apparently just because their debts have been sold off to the CA. Your information is appreciated.
Collection agencies medical
I just don't talk to them on the phone. If I get a phone message from an agency, I reverse look up the phone number to get the company and their website. I then email them and tell them I had gotten a message from them. I tell them that I do not use the phone but will be happy to review anything they may wish to send me in the mail, or by email. Of course I have an email account I use only for creditors.
I just don't trust them and do whatever I can to avoid them at all costs. I want some kind of written record on both sides. Having had over 1/2 million in medical bills over the past 6-7 years, I don't really consider 3-4K in various collections too bad. It does hurt my score of course, and they get taken care of as time and money allows.
Having never been late on a credit card, car loan, mortgage, etc. I resent having higher insurance premiums and such because of the medical stuff - but what can ya do?
Hi Chris,
You have done a great job indeed. However im of the same opinion that there is no better way than to limit yourself to written proofs.
But its really harmful to let your scores go down. It is prudent to keep CA's away but when there is no other work around but to interact with a CA, one needs tactic.
Sting I hope you have found some solution. Did you contact the OC?
Re: Medical bills
You can dispute the record on your credit report if you can prove that the bill was sent to collections unlawfully (for example - if you were never billed directly for the amount before it was sent to collections)
Debt-Collection
medical bill
My daughter was at the emergency room last year. After the insurance had paid their part, the hospital send me the remaining balance. I call the hospital and negotiated for settlement and the promised writing off the balance as bad debt. I paid the settlement, but few weeks ago, a collection agency contacted me about the balance that was promised to be written off. What should I do. I live in TX
medical bill sent to collections
2 medical bills were sent directly to collections by the same company - no bill was ever mailed to me or my insurance and I received no knowledge of this bill until I checked my credit report and saw them there. I asked the company why they did not mail me a bill and they said it was because they only had a "possible" address - and of course that possible address was my address. Did they have the right to immediately send those bills to collections and not try to send them to me first? I have nothing wrong with my credit except for these 2 things now
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aGPUqf I really liked your post. Fantastic.