Please help on appropriate measure to take

[Monkeygirl]

I have a collection note on my report from American
Collections Enterprise for $189. Apparently it is a doctor’s invoice that my
insurance did not pay in 2008, I was never made aware of this and I just want
it taken care of. I called the CA and they told me if I pay the full amount
they will show it as paid in full on my report and then I can send a letter to
their office and ask for deletion and that goes to a different office that will
determine if they can delete it. Then I called the Dr’s office and they
accepted payment of the debt, it was a bill for a visit at a dermatologist.
Now, how do I deal with the CA deleting this on my reports? The guy I spoke to
on the phone from the Hospital’s billing department said he was going to call
the CA and let them know that I paid and to take the "appropriate
measure". I told him i wanted them to delete it and all he kept saying was
“they will take the appropriate measures" so I don’t know what that means.
Please advice. Thank you

[Why Chat]

Sorry you did that-- you will have to follow the HIPAA letter program:

 

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

 

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

 

Once you have opted out ( I presume you are at the same address you were at when you incurred this bill so you do not have to delete addresses) you can send each CRA where the account is reporting the initial dispute letter:

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

 

It is more than likely that this will get you a deletion, as it is also more than likely that the Dr and the reporting CA have no current business relationship and were not and are not in communication with each other.

IF they had been in a current business relationship the Dr would not have been able to accept the $$.

It is also more than likely that your insurance paid what it was supposed to pay and the $189 is a "balance billing" which it is illegal for the Dr to collect.

The reporting CA picked up the account from a data miner, not from the hospital

This happens frequently for folks who have not opted out and who are applying for a mortgage, the data miners sell old written off "balances" to JDBs ( junk debt buyers) who poison reports to prevent closings.

 

Consider the $189 as a contribution to a learning experience

[Monkeygirl]

I did call my insurance and they told me they did not pay for the bill because it was part of my deductible. I was never made aware of this. The CA and the Dr have a relationship as the person i spoke to told me the Dr was their client. The good news is the Dr's office did call the CA and told them it was paid. The CA told me they will update my records to PAID tonight and asked me to send an email to their compliance office asking them to delete the info on my credit reports and call them back in 2 days. I am hoping they will delete it

[Why Chat]

I sincerely hope this works for you as a "paid" collection is WORSE for your credit scores than an unpaid one.

 

This is because while it is still a derogatory, it is more recent, as it updates to the date paid.

[Monkeygirl]

Hello,

 

So I spoke to them today and they told me they can't delete it because I disputed the debts with the credit agencies in november and so I had prior knowledge of the debt. What should I do now since its already paid ?

[Monkeygirl]

I called back and spoke to someone in their compliance department, they said I do not qualify for a deletion and that this policy is finite and they can't help me any further because they give a 60 days grace period and I was aware of this account on my report in November and I waited 4 months to make a payment

[Monkeygirl]

Any help?