Hi All, I just received the first written notice from a debt collector regarding a 158.00 medical bill. I requested that the OC (the hospital) send me a bill, and they did. If I pay the hospital, CMRRR, and generate a receipt, will I be able to prevent this from getting reported by the CA, or, if it does get reported as a collections account, get it altogether eliminated from my report with the generated receipt from the OC? Regards, Jason
If the debt has been sold to the CA, then you'll need to work directly with them to make payment. If it's just been assigned by the hospital to the CA for collection, then you may be able to convince the hospital to pull it back and accept your payment directly. I wouldn't pay anything until you have proof that the account has been returned and is no longer in collections. Otherwise, you may run into some difficulties with the CA down the road.
Thanks for responding Josh. I was able to square up the bill today with the OC, who said that they would report the payment to the CA and send me a receipt of payment in the mail. I really hope this suffices. I would also hope that if the CA continues attempts at collecting this nonexistent debt, that the CRAs would remove the collection, since I would hold proof of payment. That is, I hope... We'll see. I've come to expect very little from these fine, upstanding bottom dwellers.
