Hello All.... I'll try to keep this brief as possible. I received an alert from TruCredit about a new collection acct added to my credit report on 4/1/07. $50 from CA for medical office visit. I contacted my doctors office to pay it and was then referred to same CA as acct had been transferred, ok fine. I contact them this past Friday, and rep states if I pay with CC they will send letter of deletion to all credit bureaus and will send me letter as well as proof of payment. I get a call from same rep yesterday stating CC was denied and if I could repeat CC#'s for another transaction. Fine, I'm thinking it will all be over SOON. Not!! I get a call this morning from another rep stating that CC was again declined and that PFD method is now revoked due to both transcations being declined. I'm pissed and then I immediatelty realize why CC declined. I'm using my employer issued HCRA (health care reimbursement account) visa card and more than likely...the transaction is being logged as "collections" vs medical/dental which is what the card can be used for solely. I explain this to the rep and she is like, oh well....I can't help you and even if you send in the payment it will stay on your report for blah blah blah..... I'm highly pissed a this point. All over a $50 office visit that I NEVER received notice from CA because they had incorrect address initially and I only found out because of the alert on my CR. Come on now experts....do I have any options OTHER than paying debt and it sitting on my CR for 7 years??? Arrggghhh!! A little background...my credit is shot to hell but I didn't have any NEW debt other than this and several other OLD credit card debts being re-aged by the CA and will fall off in the next year or two.
I would go back to your medical office and explain the entire situation and see if you can pay in the office since the payment should go through there and have then have them take care of the CA. They might have sold the account though and then you would have to deal with the CA. At that point, I would find a supervisor and tell them that you ARE trying to pay your bill and was told it would be a documented pay for deletion. I would say that you called the card company and they told you that paying the CA was not under the list of services that was covered so you need to pay with a different card and still get the deletion. I would still lean on the OC first though if they still own the account.
Thanks Ice....I'm assuming that because my doctor's office told me right away that the account was transferred to the CA that I have no leverage in paying it directly to them. I will attempt once again later on today...otherwise I will have to settle for a NEW paid collection account, right?
I would ask the doctor's office if they have sold the account, if not the OC has final say over the CA. And I would not pay the CA until you get the same deal: pay for deletion. If they offered it once, I see no reason as to why they should not again considering the circumstances behind it. Not that they'll care mind you, but someone might understand and give you a break.
Thanks again.... I will attempt to take care of this on my lunch break IN PERSON today. Hopefully, as you stated...with a detailed explanation..I'll be able to make the payment with the OC....but wait a minute....paying directly to the OC won't get this deleted from my credit report either though.. No benefit there or did I miss something?
