juswannaBfree2

Okay, great! Thank you so much for your help and expertise!

Thanks for your response Why Chat. I did all of the initial steps: deleted the addresses they would allow to be deleted (some got deleted, some did not); and I also opted out. I sent TransUnion my initial dispute letter for 7 medicals that were left on my credit reports while I was waiting for my other 2 credit reports to arrive; all but 2 of the medicals were deleted by TransUnion. The 2 medical accounts that are remaining on my TransUnion report are not on the other two reports; they are only listed on TransUnion. I thought that since they were only showing on TransUnion, I could go ahead with the program for TransUnion since the 2 accounts are only listed on that report. I still have several to try to dispute with Experian (that are not showing on TransUnion). I also have different medicals to do the initial dispute with Equifax too. I actually have done the initial dispute process a couple of times with each CRA in the past, so at least a couple get deleted each time, or some have just fallen off. Experian of course will never budge, so those do not get deleted unless they had fallen off on their own. Should I not move on with the next step in the program with TransUnion yet? I figured it would be okay since these last two accounts are only showing on that report. I have 3 total collections remaining on TransUnion, one is non-medical, so I thought I could finish up TransUnion, while I am still initial disputing with Experian and Equifax, and get that one out of the way with no other worries. I figured two would be easy enough. If you think I should wait, I totally will. If it is okay to move on with the program with TransUnion, my understanding is that I need to send the DV letter to the collection agency, and then the follow-up letter to TransUnion once I see the collection agency has received the letter, correct? These last two medical accounts are pretty old. They are both actually set to fall of on 6/2015 and 11/2015, so they look like they are from 2008?

Quick question for you veterans. I disputed all of my medicals through TransUnion and they deleted all but two accounts. I am off to the LETTER TO COLLECTION AGENCY MEDICAL ACCOUNT DV/SOL/CEASE/DESIST step and was wondering if I can do both of the accounts that were "verified" at the same time. They are reported by two different collection agencies, and I had planned on sending them both the letter and then following up with TransUnion after I see they received the letters. In the follow up letter to TransUnion, is it okay to list both accounts on the one letter? Or should I do each account completely seperately? Like, send a letter to one of the collection agencies, wait to see that they receive it, follow-up to TransUnion once I see they receive it, wait until the results, and THEN go through the same process with the other account? Or just do them both at the same time, wait to see that both collection agencies received the letters, and place both accounts on a single follow up letter to transunion? I hope that all made sense. I do not remember ever seeing the answer to this question through all of my reading and reading on this site; so I appreciate responses whole-heartedly! Thanks a bunch!

Maybe I can help you to understand the way insurance works a little bit here. While it is true for providers (hospitals, doctors, etc.) who are IN-NETWORK with your insurance company are not allowed to "balance-bill" you for the amounts over their contracted "allowed amounts" with your insurance company, that does not hold true for OUT-OF-NETWORK providers (so you may want to find out if that particular hospital is in or out of network with your insurance company. You should be able to tell by your EOB, or a "provider search" on the website of your insurance company. If you do a provider search on the website of the insurance company, and the hospital comes up, that usually means they are in network). I am assuming that is pretty much across the board for most insurance companies, if not all of them, as far as out of network providers not having to follow the contract (since that is the whole point of in and out of network benefits anyway). For out of network benefits, the patient may be responsible for the amount over the allowed amount; but with that being said, if the provider is out of network, there is no "contract" they will be breaking if they come to an agreement with you about discounting the services, they can charge what they want. With this last point, you stated how you were charged a significantly less amount during a previous visit than what was being charged now; so they could follow that same discount now, if they wanted, for that same service. The providers can write-off the entire amount if they wanted to, it is ultimately up to them when they are out of network. Also, if you have financial hardships, most hospitals have an "assistance" program for people who meet certain requirements (such as income, etc.), you may want to check into seeing if that is a possibility with the hospital you went to (sometimes there is a deadline on that, so I would hurry and find out). Just because the hospital "accepted" your insurance, does NOT mean they have to follow the insurance companies guidelines if they are not in network. As far as the deductible, coinsurance, and out of pocket go, with most policies, you must meet the deductible before the insurance will start paying for their portion of the coverage. Once that coverage starts, the percentage you owe will go toward your out of pocket on the policy; and unless your policy states otherwise, once that deductible and out of pocket has been met in full, your insurance will then cover at 100% of the allowed amounts (if the provider is out of network, then the patient may still be responsible for the amount over those allowed amounts) for the remaining of your calendar or contract year. I will give you an example, and hope this helps you understand a little bit better (I know insurance can be confusing). Say, for emergency room services for an in network hospital, benefits are: you have a $600 calendar year deductible, coverage at 80/20 (insurance pays 80%, you pay the remaining 20%), and a $1200 calendar year out of pocket; you must first meet that $600 deductible in full before the insurance will start paying their 80%. So with an example of $5000 billed to the insurance (this is assuming that you have not met any of your deductible or out of pocket accumulations), the first $600 of that will be directly out of your pocket, then the remaining amount will be paid by the insurance at 80% of the allowed contracted amount, up until the $1200 out of pocket has been met. I will try to post a rough calculation for you: $5000 is the total the provider billed to your insurance company, & your insurance company has accepted this amount per the contract. -$600 which would be your deductible. (So this is now met in full and you no longer have to worry about the deductible for the year.) -------- $4400 the amount remaining after you have paid your deductible. x .80 the 80% the insurance company pays. -------- $3520 the actual amount the insurance paid of the $4400 remaining amount. Then you would take: $4400 the amount remaining after you have paid your deductible. -$3520 which is the payment from the insurance company. --------- $880 the amount remaining that is "patient responsibility", which is the remaining 20%. So you would owe the $600 deductible and the 20% coinsurance of $880, which brings you to a total of $1480. Now, there are different variables with your out of pocket dependent upon if the insurance company applies what you pay toward your deductible, to your out of pocket. Not all policies do. If your deductible is not applied to your out of pocket, then you would owe the total $1480; but you would also deduct the $880 from your $1200 out of pocket, leaving your remaining out of pocket expense at $320 (so if you had any additional services with other in network providers in the future, during the same calendar or contract year, you would only have to pay $320 for benefits that fall the same as the emergency room visit benefits were, the insurance would then pick up 100% of the allowed amount of your remaining services for the rest of the calendar or contract year {if you have any services that fall subject to a copay, such as an office visit, THAT (the copay) may still apply; also dependent on whether or not your insurance applies your copays to your out of pocket expense}). If your policy DOES apply your deductible to your out of pocket, then you would only pay $1200 of that $1480, and the insurance would pick up the rest at 100% of the allowed amount; so they would pick up the remaining $280. What your out of pocket expense is, is just that, the total expenses you will pay out of your pocket for the calendar year. Copays and deductibles do not always apply to that amount, so if they do not, then the 20% you are paying out of pocket from your coinsurance would be all that would go toward the "out of pocket expense"; you would still be responsible for copays, and of course the deductible. I am assuming by your post, that you do have a deductible, coinsurance, and out of pocket that is applying to these benefits, which is why I went with this scenario. I hope that all made sense. It is really late, and I am really tired, lol. I will try to find a moment to pull this up again tomorrow (it has been a while since I have been on here) to see if you have any questions, or if I need to edit anything. I could continue to explain how insurance works, and its different variables, but I do not want to confuse you. I really hope this helped!

Good question! Anyone???

Awesome! I'm anxious to get it going then... It's been so long since i've disputed addresses though, does anyone have a good sample letter I could check out?

Ok, sometimes it takes a while for me to get mail at my physical address the CRA's have on file, so I have been considering getting a P.O. box for future disputes. Is that a smart idea? Will the CRA's take it seriously?? And how do I get them to respond to that address from now on?? Anyone that could help, that would be wonderful!! Thanks!

Ok, so i disputed with pre-hippa letters to the CRA's and am now starting with letters to the CA's on the ones that weren't deleted. My question is, I have a couple of CA's that are reporting numorous accounts on my credit file. Do I send a seperate validation letter per each individual account? Or do I list ALL accounts in one letter to the CA?? I hope that makes sense.

It definately IS amazing!! I don't know what I would've done without it! CA's and CRA's both frustrate me SOOOO bad... I for one think that you should be informed something is going to go on your credit report before it EVER gets there so you can dispute it then... But that definately hasn't been the case for me... I've never been notified that someone was going to ruin my name. And that is soooo aggravating... I will just fight till they are all gone And that's awesome you were able to do that in a month!!! Cognrats!

Thank you so much! I will be starting round 2 now as well. It's weird, because the very first pre-hippa letters I sent, they deleted A TON. Now they won't even touch it... Kinda frustrating! I hope round 2 works!!

Ok, quick question along with my above post.... On the instructions for the letter to the CA, i'm a little confused to what this exactly means. "Do a separate letter for EACH CRA that the CA is reporting to, make sure the account #'s match the report. You can MAIL them all to each CA in ONE envelope with one CMRR" Is it meaning that if they are reporting to all 3 CRA's, I need to write the CA 3 different letters (of the same letter) in the same envelope? I'm so sorry haha... i am having a moment, and i just don't quite understand.

Thank you! Yes I opted out and got as many addresses deleted as I could. Do you think I should try that step again? And Yes I sent the pre-hippa letter. Finally would be your last two steps in which i haven't done yet. Also, the last two disputes I have sent, I have asked them for an updated copy of my credit report, and none of the 3 CRA's complied. All they sent me was a letter stating they weren't going to investigate. The time before this, I believe a couple were deleted (it's been so long I would have to go back and look) but they also did not send me an updated copy of my credit report, even though I asked. I will be getting right on your final two steps, I was just worried that the CRA would not even do anything with the last steps as well, since they refuse to investigate. Thank you again for your help.

I just got Experians yesterday and it pretty much said the same thing... they won't investigate ANY of what I disputed.

Hello all, It has been a while since I have been here, I am going on my six month of pregnancy and have been miserable and on complete bed rest the ENTIRE time, eek! I'm feeling a bit better and have started back up my pre-hippa journey. Anywho, my response back from transunion frazzled me and left me quite frustrated and I need help on what to do. There response was as follows: Thank you for contacting transunion.... dah dah dah Re: Dispute Status Our records show that your creditor(s) previously verified as accurate the items that are listed below. Therefore, under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, we consider this dispute frivolous and we will not reinvestigate the item(s) unless you can provide court papers or a recent, authentic letter from the creditor(s) that explains what information should be updated. If you disagree with the results of your dispute, you may add a consumer statement of 100 words or less to you credit report or you may contact the creditor directly. If you provide a consumer statement that contains medical information, then you expressly consent to TransUnion including this information in every credit report we issue about you. Please help me on exactly WHAT i should do... I'm really sorry because I am sure this was covered elsewhere in another topic that I cannot find now. And I need exact advice on my situation... thank you soooooo much!

Hey bonbon, I was just realizing when I was reading your response, that I have a couple of things backwards... (it's been a bad couple of weeks haha) Anywho, I didn't realize the email I got was actually from Equifax and NOT experian.. I did recieve the Equifax results thru the mail, just not Experian.. And I did NOT receive ANY response, even thru email from Experian.. and it has been almost 2 months. I had it stuck in my head that the email I got was from Experian, when it in fact was from Equifax. So what do I do in the case that Experian doesn't respond at ALL, not even thru email... Do I send them a copy with the original letter with a different letter?? (this is all pre_hippa) I apologize that I got that wrong... i don't know why I got that all stuck in my head! Thanks again for your help!