PsychDoc, I read you letters and posting on goodwill and paid collection letters that you would write in certain situations. My paid collection will fall off next year. I will be re-financing my new home soon. I would like to get the lowest rates possible. I have cleaned up my record with no lates with this one paid collection left on it. I would like your advice. I have gone back to see this doctor and will continue to see him because he is the only one in this area that treats CNDS (chronic neuro endocrine immune dysfunction syndrome) aka CFIDS. I don't think a paid collection letter would be right to send to them. I think a goodwill letter or something similar would be better. If it doesn't work then hit the CA with the paid collection lettter. I heard my doctor say that they couldn't find my chart (record) from 1996. It probably was up in storage..don't know when they will find it. PsychDoc since you are so credit saavy, do you agree with this? I am asking because of my condition I have cognitive problems and I don't think straight sometimes. Thank you for you help. Bunni
Re: PsychDoc Paid Medical Collectio Bunni, the doctor has no contact with the collection agency, so don't worry about insulting him. You won't. (Actually, he wouldn't be insulted anyway. His primary concern is your health, and he leaves the business end of things up to people he pays to fool with that.) Try attacking the problem this way: 1) First, if you're going to be seeing the doctor soon anyway, bring it up at the end of your appointment with him. "Dr. So-and-So, there is something that is bothering me greatly that only you may be able to help. You probably don't remember but in 1996 I got way behind with payments and as a result a bill here was sent to collections. I paid it in full of course, but since we're going to refinance the house, I would really appreciate if your billing office could have that bad mark removed as a courtesy to me. It might save me thousands of dollars in interest if they would do that." See how he responds. He may well take an active interest in seeing this wiped off. On the other hand, he may be so removed from the business end of the practice that he would feel lost and not know the first thing about how to respond. Either way, you have nothing to lose in attempting to enlist his help first. 2) Next, if talking to the doctor himself doesn't pan out, try talking to his billing manager. Use the same spiel. He or she may be able to assist. 3) If neither the doctor nor his billing manager can assist, then get assertive with the collection agency. I would use the "nutcase letter" I posted on the board previously. Give that fully-paid collection agency an incentive to get rid of you. 4) All of that said, you might look a little more closely regarding when the item is due to fall off anyway. Items usually fall off 2 to 3 months before the full 7 years. CRAs are usually lenient with items that are about to fall off even as early as a few more months even before that. If you're getting really close, you might just consider a regular "not mine" dispute with the CRA. Plus, even if you get an S.O.B. at the CRA who isn't lenient with almost-deleted tradelines, the item is so old that the CA may have trouble verifying anyway. That may be the way to go. I hope this helps. Doc
