New Member: Medical Debts Are My Biggest Challenge

[Why Chat]

Okay, thanks. I just joined here last week, so I'm not too far along. I opted out as soon as you told me about it and then I wrote my address deletion letters -- didn't get to mail them sooner because of work and events going on.

 

I'll just add these to my dispute letters.

 

One more question: when the CRAs receive my address deletion requests, how will I know when it is okay to proceed with my disputes? I have monitoring through EX, so I can pull reports from them daily and see if anything has changed. I don't have monitoring for TU or EQ, though. Will I receive a letter confirming deletion (if they do delete anything)?

You can check TU and Eq through the "back door" if you have recent credit reports with ID #s from them.

 

You go to their website, go to "new dispute" ( DO NOT ACTUALLY DISPUTE ANYTHING- PLUS BE CAREFUL ABOUT CHECKING BOXES THAT WOULD OPT YOU BACK IN OR GIVE THEM THE OPTION OF ANSWERING YOU VIA THE INTERNET OR E-MAIL) You will then be able to pull up a current report.

 

Wait at least a week from the date they have received your address letter before checking.

 

Hi WhyChat -- just wanted to post an update about the process. I updated my address with two old creditors so I don't lose the positive TLs. Then I sent out my address deletion letters. TU deleted all but my current address very quickly. I'm still waiting on EX and EQ.

 

I have my pre-HIPAA dispute letters typed up and ready to go. I will pull my reports again the day I send them in case I have to add any info to them.

 

I have purple copy paper that I bought when I was making something for my bridal shower. Would it be okay to send the pre-HIPAA letters to the CRAs on the purple copy paper if I use a dark purple/plum font?

You may have misunderstood the directions about using "colored" font on the initial dispute letter. It doesn't make any difference WHAT color the paper is, what makes a difference is that there be a PATTERN BACKROUND on the paper in the same color family as your font. Look at the example in the dispute letter.

http://www.whychat.5u.com/hipaadisp.html

[LMorgan]

Okay, thanks. I just joined here last week, so I'm not too far along. I opted out as soon as you told me about it and then I wrote my address deletion letters -- didn't get to mail them sooner because of work and events going on.

 

I'll just add these to my dispute letters.

 

One more question: when the CRAs receive my address deletion requests, how will I know when it is okay to proceed with my disputes? I have monitoring through EX, so I can pull reports from them daily and see if anything has changed. I don't have monitoring for TU or EQ, though. Will I receive a letter confirming deletion (if they do delete anything)?

You can check TU and Eq through the "back door" if you have recent credit reports with ID #s from them.

 

You go to their website, go to "new dispute" ( DO NOT ACTUALLY DISPUTE ANYTHING- PLUS BE CAREFUL ABOUT CHECKING BOXES THAT WOULD OPT YOU BACK IN OR GIVE THEM THE OPTION OF ANSWERING YOU VIA THE INTERNET OR E-MAIL) You will then be able to pull up a current report.

 

Wait at least a week from the date they have received your address letter before checking.

 

Hi WhyChat -- just wanted to post an update about the process. I updated my address with two old creditors so I don't lose the positive TLs. Then I sent out my address deletion letters. TU deleted all but my current address very quickly. I'm still waiting on EX and EQ.

 

I have my pre-HIPAA dispute letters typed up and ready to go. I will pull my reports again the day I send them in case I have to add any info to them.

 

I have purple copy paper that I bought when I was making something for my bridal shower. Would it be okay to send the pre-HIPAA letters to the CRAs on the purple copy paper if I use a dark purple/plum font?

You may have misunderstood the directions about using "colored" font on the initial dispute letter. It doesn't make any difference WHAT color the paper is, what makes a difference is that there be a PATTERN BACKROUND on the paper in the same color family as your font. Look at the example in the dispute letter.

http://www.whychat.5.../hipaadisp.html

 

Thanks. I will add a patterned watermark to the letters.

[LMorgan]

I am still waiting for the results of my address deletion requests to EX and EQ. In the meantime, I wanted to ask what I should do about a notice I just received from a medical collection agency.

 

They are not reporting to the bureaus yet, so should I pay the CA now to avoid that, or is there a better method? The debts are mine (renal ultrasound and lab work) and the amounts are correct.

[LMorgan]

I am still waiting for the results of my address deletion requests to EX and EQ. In the meantime, I wanted to ask what I should do about a notice I just received from a medical collection agency.

 

They are not reporting to the bureaus yet, so should I pay the CA now to avoid that, or is there a better method? The debts are mine (renal ultrasound and lab work) and the amounts are correct.

 

Sorry to bump this up, but I have another question. WhyChat, do you include accounts that are NOT out of SOL yet in the pre-HIPAA letters, or only accounts past the SOL? Most of my accounts are outside the SOL for PA, but there are two or three TLs that are not.

 

Also, does an ambulance account count as a "medical" debt? It is a private ambulance company, not a municipal service. When I called 911 at the time, the municipal crew was busy, so the private one showed up instead.

 

I am still waiting on the results of my deletion requests. Equifax has the dispute as "pending" and it says they will mail me my results. Experian has no open disputes listed for me -- even though they signed for the certified dispute letter two days after I sent it (I didn't even get the green card back from EQ yet, but they entered the dispute a few days after I sent it).

[yogamom72]

I am chiming in here so I can follow this thread. I am having the same problem with medical bills.

[Why Chat]

I am still waiting for the results of my address deletion requests to EX and EQ. In the meantime, I wanted to ask what I should do about a notice I just received from a medical collection agency.

 

They are not reporting to the bureaus yet, so should I pay the CA now to avoid that, or is there a better method? The debts are mine (renal ultrasound and lab work) and the amounts are correct.

 

Sorry to bump this up, but I have another question. WhyChat, do you include accounts that are NOT out of SOL yet in the pre-HIPAA letters, or only accounts past the SOL? Most of my accounts are outside the SOL for PA, but there are two or three TLs that are not. List ALL medical accounts old or new, valid or invalid, including ambulance bills

 

Also, does an ambulance account count as a "medical" debt? It is a private ambulance company, not a municipal service. When I called 911 at the time, the municipal crew was busy, so the private one showed up instead.

 

I am still waiting on the results of my deletion requests. Equifax has the dispute as "pending" and it says they will mail me my results. Experian has no open disputes listed for me -- even though they signed for the certified dispute letter two days after I sent it (I didn't even get the green card back from EQ yet, but they entered the dispute a few days after I sent it).

[LMorgan]

I am still waiting for the results of my address deletion requests to EX and EQ. In the meantime, I wanted to ask what I should do about a notice I just received from a medical collection agency.

 

They are not reporting to the bureaus yet, so should I pay the CA now to avoid that, or is there a better method? The debts are mine (renal ultrasound and lab work) and the amounts are correct.

 

Sorry to bump this up, but I have another question. WhyChat, do you include accounts that are NOT out of SOL yet in the pre-HIPAA letters, or only accounts past the SOL? Most of my accounts are outside the SOL for PA, but there are two or three TLs that are not. List ALL medical accounts old or new, valid or invalid, including ambulance bills

 

Also, does an ambulance account count as a "medical" debt? It is a private ambulance company, not a municipal service. When I called 911 at the time, the municipal crew was busy, so the private one showed up instead.

 

I am still waiting on the results of my deletion requests. Equifax has the dispute as "pending" and it says they will mail me my results. Experian has no open disputes listed for me -- even though they signed for the certified dispute letter two days after I sent it (I didn't even get the green card back from EQ yet, but they entered the dispute a few days after I sent it).

 

Thanks! Equifax mailed the results of my address deletion request on 4/23. Experian says "Either you have not recently requested an investigation and there is no investigation pending, or some of the items that are being investigated may not appear until later because they required additional processing." So hopefully, I can start the HIPAA process soon.

[Why Chat]

I am still waiting for the results of my address deletion requests to EX and EQ. In the meantime, I wanted to ask what I should do about a notice I just received from a medical collection agency.

 

They are not reporting to the bureaus yet, so should I pay the CA now to avoid that, or is there a better method? The debts are mine (renal ultrasound and lab work) and the amounts are correct.

 

Sorry to bump this up, but I have another question. WhyChat, do you include accounts that are NOT out of SOL yet in the pre-HIPAA letters, or only accounts past the SOL? Most of my accounts are outside the SOL for PA, but there are two or three TLs that are not. List ALL medical accounts old or new, valid or invalid, including ambulance bills

 

Also, does an ambulance account count as a "medical" debt? It is a private ambulance company, not a municipal service. When I called 911 at the time, the municipal crew was busy, so the private one showed up instead.

 

I am still waiting on the results of my deletion requests. Equifax has the dispute as "pending" and it says they will mail me my results. Experian has no open disputes listed for me -- even though they signed for the certified dispute letter two days after I sent it (I didn't even get the green card back from EQ yet, but they entered the dispute a few days after I sent it).

 

Thanks! Equifax mailed the results of my address deletion request on 4/23. Experian says "Either you have not recently requested an investigation and there is no investigation pending, or some of the items that are being investigated may not appear until later because they required additional processing." So hopefully, I can start the HIPAA process soon.

If you have sent the initial dispute letters to the CRAs then you HAVE "started" the HIPAA letter program.

 

Check on line ( back door) to see if the accounts you disputed have already been deleted.

[LMorgan]

I am still waiting for the results of my address deletion requests to EX and EQ. In the meantime, I wanted to ask what I should do about a notice I just received from a medical collection agency.

 

They are not reporting to the bureaus yet, so should I pay the CA now to avoid that, or is there a better method? The debts are mine (renal ultrasound and lab work) and the amounts are correct.

 

Sorry to bump this up, but I have another question. WhyChat, do you include accounts that are NOT out of SOL yet in the pre-HIPAA letters, or only accounts past the SOL? Most of my accounts are outside the SOL for PA, but there are two or three TLs that are not. List ALL medical accounts old or new, valid or invalid, including ambulance bills

 

Also, does an ambulance account count as a "medical" debt? It is a private ambulance company, not a municipal service. When I called 911 at the time, the municipal crew was busy, so the private one showed up instead.

 

I am still waiting on the results of my deletion requests. Equifax has the dispute as "pending" and it says they will mail me my results. Experian has no open disputes listed for me -- even though they signed for the certified dispute letter two days after I sent it (I didn't even get the green card back from EQ yet, but they entered the dispute a few days after I sent it).

 

Thanks! Equifax mailed the results of my address deletion request on 4/23. Experian says "Either you have not recently requested an investigation and there is no investigation pending, or some of the items that are being investigated may not appear until later because they required additional processing." So hopefully, I can start the HIPAA process soon.

If you have sent the initial dispute letters to the CRAs then you HAVE "started" the HIPAA letter program.

 

Check on line ( back door) to see if the accounts you disputed have already been deleted.

 

I didn't send the disputes yet. I am waiting for the CRAs to respond to my address deletion requests. I notified the creditors reporting positive TLs of my new address and then sent out the deletion requests. TU deleted immediately. Equifax mailed the results on 4/23. Experian has nothing listed for me via the back door.

[Why Chat]

I am still waiting for the results of my address deletion requests to EX and EQ. In the meantime, I wanted to ask what I should do about a notice I just received from a medical collection agency.

 

They are not reporting to the bureaus yet, so should I pay the CA now to avoid that, or is there a better method? The debts are mine (renal ultrasound and lab work) and the amounts are correct.

 

Sorry to bump this up, but I have another question. WhyChat, do you include accounts that are NOT out of SOL yet in the pre-HIPAA letters, or only accounts past the SOL? Most of my accounts are outside the SOL for PA, but there are two or three TLs that are not. List ALL medical accounts old or new, valid or invalid, including ambulance bills

 

Also, does an ambulance account count as a "medical" debt? It is a private ambulance company, not a municipal service. When I called 911 at the time, the municipal crew was busy, so the private one showed up instead.

 

I am still waiting on the results of my deletion requests. Equifax has the dispute as "pending" and it says they will mail me my results. Experian has no open disputes listed for me -- even though they signed for the certified dispute letter two days after I sent it (I didn't even get the green card back from EQ yet, but they entered the dispute a few days after I sent it).

 

Thanks! Equifax mailed the results of my address deletion request on 4/23. Experian says "Either you have not recently requested an investigation and there is no investigation pending, or some of the items that are being investigated may not appear until later because they required additional processing." So hopefully, I can start the HIPAA process soon.

If you have sent the initial dispute letters to the CRAs then you HAVE "started" the HIPAA letter program.

 

Check on line ( back door) to see if the accounts you disputed have already been deleted.

 

I didn't send the disputes yet. I am waiting for the CRAs to respond to my address deletion requests. I notified the creditors reporting positive TLs of my new address and then sent out the deletion requests. TU deleted immediately. Equifax mailed the results on 4/23. Experian has nothing listed for me via the back door. When you say "nothing listed" do you mean you have NO medical accounts reporting on Experian?? If so, then you do not have to send them a dispute letter

OK, send the initial dispute letters to the CRAs . List on each dispute letter ALL medical accounts as they appear on the report you are disputing.

[LMorgan]

Does this watermark work as it should for the purposes of this letter? I took a pic of purple flowers and set it to 500 percent. I used purple font so they'd blend. What do you think? I will send these out Monday if the watermark/font look okay.

 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47751704@N06/6974270642/

[Why Chat]

Does this watermark work as it should for the purposes of this letter? I took a pic of purple flowers and set it to 500 percent. I used purple font so they'd blend. What do you think? I will send these out Monday if the watermark/font look okay.

 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47751704@N06/6974270642/

Looks OK, but I suggest using GREEN font to blend with the flower stalks.

[LMorgan]

Does this watermark work as it should for the purposes of this letter? I took a pic of purple flowers and set it to 500 percent. I used purple font so they'd blend. What do you think? I will send these out Monday if the watermark/font look okay.

 

 

http://www.flickr.co...N06/6974270642/

Looks OK, but I suggest using GREEN font to blend with the flower stalks.

 

Thanks! I thought we were only supposed to use purple or teal. Changing to green and sending on Monday!