Starting the HIPAA Process!

[Nicole C.]

All I can tell from the money order thus far is that it was deposited. I haven't been able to locate her and the new staff won't give me her personal info and say they don't know of a new office she'll be practicing in. I'll keep trying. Should I still go ahead and send the letters?

 

 

[Why Chat]

All I can tell from the money order thus far is that it was deposited. I haven't been able to locate her and the new staff won't give me her personal info and say they don't know of a new office she'll be practicing in. I'll keep trying. Should I still go ahead and send the letters?

Yes

[NorthCol]

Paying the debt won't make it go away. In fact, it validates the debt as yours, and therefore the CRAs will report it for the full 7 years. It's unlikely that you can remove it at this point. The best you can hope for is a paid collection but that will still make you ineligible for most credit cards and loans.

It also looks like the OC, the dental office, took your money, and you may have to sue to get it back.

[Why Chat]

Paying the debt won't make it go away. In fact, it validates the debt as yours, and therefore the CRAs will report it for the full 7 years. It's unlikely that you can remove it at this point. The best you can hope for is a paid collection but that will still make you ineligible for most credit cards and loans.

It also looks like the OC, the dental office, took your money, and you may have to sue to get it back.

You do NOT know what you are talking about.

Please read all the HIPAA letter program

http://www.whychat.5u.com/GUIDE%20HIPAA%20PROGRAM.html

[Arsi]

I am very confused about the HIPAA process. I have a medical bill on my credit report. The bill was for $112.50 and it was originally reported on my credit report in Sept 2009. I paid it in Oct 2011 but the collection company won't remove it. They updated the status to paid and I tried to open a dispute and it came back as verified. Is their any way I can get it removed.

 

Also, there is another medical bill which the hospital billed me and then forwarded it to the collection agency. that bill is for $3200 and I do not have the resources to pay it. What can I do about it? Any help would be appreciated.

[Why Chat]

I am very confused about the HIPAA process. I have a medical bill on my credit report. The bill was for $112.50 and it was originally reported on my credit report in Sept 2009. I paid it in Oct 2011 but the collection company won't remove it. They updated the status to paid and I tried to open a dispute and it came back as verified. Is their any way I can get it removed.

 

Also, there is another medical bill which the hospital billed me and then forwarded it to the collection agency. that bill is for $3200 and I do not have the resources to pay it. What can I do about it? Any help would be appreciated.

Please start your OWN thread, every one's situation is different.

In the meantime, follow all these instructions:

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

[Nicole C.]

Some good news, it seems like Transunion has deleted the collection! Now I'm just hoping Experian and Equifax follow.

 

I'm worried about one of my disputes as the USPS tracking has yet to show it as delivered. I'm wondering if it got lost or destroyed in the mailing process.

[Nicole C.]

Experian sent me back a letter saying they're refusing to investigate and the verified result from the dispute will remain. I assume they didn't even try to verify again. I am monitoring my equifax report but no change as of yet.

 

So what I do next? I looked on the guide but I'm still unsure. The fight continues! (I hope!)

[426MW]

I'm anxious to see how this unfolds as I am in a similiar situation. Good luck Nicole!

[Why Chat]

Experian sent me back a letter saying they're refusing to investigate and the verified result from the dispute will remain. I assume they didn't even try to verify again. I am monitoring my equifax report but no change as of yet.

 

So what I do next? I looked on the guide but I'm still unsure. The fight continues! (I hope!)

 

 

The next step is the medical DV to the reporting CA

 

http://whychat.5u.com/ltrcavalhipaa.html

[Nicole C.]

This is the 2nd one correct? I sent them one and I enclosed a copy along with my dispute to the CRAs. They received it but never responded. Experian's canned letter asked for more proof it was invalid, but they if ignored my enclosed copy and proof of receipt. I'm guessing the CA ignore it again and the office is saying my account is clear. Also, on my report the dentist is not listed...the office is. Yet the office is claiming to have no responsibility or ownership of past debts.

[Nicole C.]

There is a follow up letter to the OC...I haven't sent that one yet. I'm wondering if I should have when I sent the follow up dispute to the CRAs?

[Nicole C.]

I'm just going to retrace my steps here...

October 2011- Last visit at dentist

June 2012- Collections showed up, sent original HIPAA letters disputing account to CRAs

July 2012: All came back verified

September 2012: Sent Money Order and HIPAA Letter to OC for owed amounts per insurance

November 2012: Money order was cashed. OC claims to have sent money order to previous dentist. Sent DV to CA certfied....received no response.

December 2012: Sent 2nd Dispute Letters to CRAs

January 2012: Transuion deleted account....Equifax verified....Experian refused to investigate....

 

So...that's where I am in the process. I see where Whychat told me to send a DV to the CA's...I'm going to do that again as I assume it can't hurt. They'll probably trash it again. I've also tried speaking with the office again as even though they said they sent the Money Order to the dentist, they are the ones listed on my report and it was made out to them. As mentioned, I did see a followup letter to the OC that I will also send. I don't think it's fair that neither the office wants nothing from me (but another visit) and the CA hasn't proven a thing but the CRA's are saying "Verified". Verified how, because they said so? I just don't understand the process and how this is fair to people as consumers.

 

 

 

 

[Why Chat]

You need to understand that the "follow up" letters to the OC are an intrinsic part of the HIPAA letter program. They hold BOTH the original health care provider ( dentist) and the OC who "forwarded" the payment as liable under the HIPAA privacy rules.

 

There is NOTHING "fair" about the debt collection business or the reporting. If it were "fair" or even reasonable this forum would not be necessary and I wouldn't have spent the past 16 + years developing and refining and updating the HIPAA letter program.

[Nicole C.]

As of today, the office finally received my followup letter. The current dentist at the office left a VM saying that they didn't have any of the prior dentist's files, account info, etc..and she was once again going to forward the letter to the previous dentist. I'm not sure what to do with that information. The CA has also not responded my 2nd request for validation.

[Why Chat]

I suggest you check your State medical licensing database to get a current address for your missing dentist.

[Nicole C.]

I suggest you check your State medical licensing database to get a current address for your missing dentist.

 

I've very much been trying to locate her. She's still licensed, but she's no longer living in the state. I've searched all over and also databases (including one powered by LexisNexis specifically for locating people and addresses) and still...nothing. The office won't give me her info either, but it doesn't seem like she's still practicing. Her name still come up connected to the current office but she's definitely not there.

 

It seems to me that office is trying to act as if they have no involvement, but if I have to go into filing complaints or court...they'd be on the receiving end. My money order was not made out to the dentist nor was my letter...it was made out to the office and it was cashed.

[Why Chat]

If her license is still active, the State licensing data base would have her address.

[Nicole C.]

I found an address there for her...but I'm not sure if she's still living there. I assume I should send the OC letter there as well in case she is.

 

Added: I see it's been updated...there is a new OOS address that I'm hoping is hers!

Edited February 14, 2013 by Nicole C.

[kls0654]

Very interesting thread, please keep us up-to-date

 

I would like to see how the story will end

 

Please keep updating

[Nicole C.]

How do I go about making sure I file the proper complaints? I'm about to send the hippa courtesy letter to the office and I suppose the dentist as well. I'll have to resend the letter to dentist as well since I haven't gotten any tracking updates since I sent it.

 

I'm sure the office will still cry that they have no account info, so I'm preparing for further action.

[Why Chat]

Well, you fill out the HIPAA complaint forms as per the instructions.

http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/psa/complaint/index.html

 

There is a sample complaint shown here:

 

http://www.whychat.5u.com/hipaaleg.html#complaint

[Nicole C.]

One of my courtesy letters came back (the one for the dentist office) and no response from the others. It's quite frustrating, especially since I did indeed end up paying the money owed. I'm going to go ahead and file my complaints now. Also complaining about the CRAs. Is there anything more I can do?

[Nicole C.]

Just to update, still no response. The office is still crying that everything should be sent to the old dentist. I'm trying to see...is there anything I can file against the dentist?

[Why Chat]

If this account is still reporting after having been disputed, then you should file an FTC and CFPB against the reporting CA AND against the elusive dentist.

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