I have read and read and read but my head is spinning, LOL! I need the plain English version please. This is what I have and not sure where to start now. I have disputed both with the CB and all they did was zero out the balance! 1) Medical collection-zero balance with a statement saying unpaid (yeah go figure). At this time my son was under medical assistance so there was no reason the bill shouldn't have been paid. I do remember a problem in the beginning and resent a copy of his medical card. Never heard anything else until I pulled my credit report a few months ago. Date reported 1/04, assigned 9/03. Should I call the collection agency or send a letter? I read you shouldn't call them and want to be sure. 2) Next item is not medical but a collection. Again I disputed with the CB only to have a zero balance done. I did place a call to the CA in which they said they have no record of my account and do not handle collections for that company any longer. This bill was in fact paid, never knew I owed it (cell phone stolen-balance of what I owed, I have service with the same company still too) OC said they are not reporting it either. Thanks in advance for any help!
1) Call the medical provider, and see if they got paid. 2) Who was it paid to? The CA, or the OC? Who is reporting it, as determined by your credit reports?
1) I thought about that after I typed the post. However I am not 100% sure which hospital this was done at. Only 2 so I am going to call both (all are part of the same medical facility but keep different billing records if that makes sense) 2)The amount was paid to the OC. The OC is not sure why it got handed over to the CA. When I contacted the CA they told me they did not have that account and was not handling any accounts for my OC. Its like going in a circle. But according to my CB report the CA is reporting it.
Okay I called the medical provider. They showed the payment wasn't received until 11/03 (collection assigned 9/03) from medical assistance. There was a problem with billing which I do remember. They had old insurance info but I had all the new info to them within a month after the services. She said everything is at a zero balance. She said she would contact xx dept and have them research this with the CA and take care of it. So I am not sure what she means by take care of it. Technically I don't think it should be on my credit report even at a zero balance. I have no control over when the state pays claims or when the hospital bills.
1) You are right. You don't just want a $0 balance paid collection account, you want it off. You got them the correct billing info. If they screwed up the billing, and got paid when the problem was fixed, they should remove it. Hospitals do it all the time, since third party payment is so common. 2) If you paid the OC on a bill erroneously sent to collection, tell them to get it off your reports. Insist that the OC send you in writing that this is erroneous. The CA was the OC's agent at the time, regardless of whether they "handle their accounts" now. Send it CRRR. 3) If the CA is the one reporting, it is erroneous, you have disputed it thru the CRA, and they have "verified" the erroneous information as accurate, they are liable for it. Tell them so in writing, include that the OC has acknowledged receiving an on-time payment (get that in writing from the OC), and that if they fail to remove, you will sue. CRRR, of course.
Thanks ontrack! Should I call the CA on the medical collection or wait to see if the hospital fixes it first you think? Or should I send a letter to the CB on this one also stating what I was told? I didn't know on sending letters to the CB if they would really read into the problem or not. I figured they only see dipsute and that is it. Off to type up a letter since I have already contacted both places twice each in the past.
For (1), I would work thru the hospital. For (2), I was suggesting letters to the OC and CA. If you get a letter out of the OC, you might use it to expedite action by the CA. If you get a letter from the CA agreeing to remove, dispute thru the CRA to expedite it.
Thanks! The lady at the hospital told me to check back she wasn't for sure how long everything would take. I figure I will give it 3 weeks and then check back. Thanks again!
