Welcome

[breeze]

Welcome to the medical billing and collections forum. This is a separate section of the credit forum; it is for medical billing and collections questions only.

 

You asked for it, you get it! We are creating this forum on a trial basis. If it appears that the forum is basically inactive, or not active enough to stay as a separate forum, it will be merged back into the main credit forum.

 

We had an overwhelming positive response to the poll, probably higher than any other forum we've created this way, so I'm sure you can make it successful.

[TX2MOMMY]

Great!!! The one lonely CA that is left on my reports is a medical collection that won't budge. Hopefully, I will be able to get some new insight on this from this new forum.

[breeze]

If you want to post links to your previous posts on the topic in the credit forum, I will be happy to get them and move them in here for you.

[RonMexico]

Thanks Breeze..I think it will be well used!

Edited June 24, 2005 by RonMexico

[Nicole2320]

*walking around inspecting the new digs* NICE

[AlanJ44]

Thanks this is the best

[ebonyi]

Thanks so much!! CB is so responsive, it's wonderful

[thealicia]

Thanks cb guru's!!! With 4 recent medical CO/CA - I need this....Thank you so much.

[sharpshooter73]

THANK YOU!!

 

All of my collection accounts are medical bills. The majority are small (under $500), but one is kinda large - $6K. I am 2 years away from SOL on that one and need all the help I can get!

[mamabird]

Thank you so much for having these forums.

 

As a total newbie, may I make a suggestion? Could you please pin Why Chat's HIPAA technique to this forum? I find dozens of references to the procedure but I can't figure out what to actually do. I am still hunting (and yes, I tried to search for it without success so far, and yes, I read the search tips).

[dcook80]

I second that request! I just read through this forum and I didn't actually see WHAT to do or how. Maybe I missed it, CB can be really overwhelming with so much to read! (I love it though, don't get me wrong!) But a pinned letter or two would be make it so much easier.

 

I don't have any huge medicals but I had emergency gallbladder surgery 2 years ago and it ended up being a little over 2k - broken up into about 572 different bills! I'd like to start paying them but of course I'd like a deletion. Cripes! I've even got one for $31 that slipped past me!

[Clouds]

Well, heck, since this is the only pinned topic, let me add the HIPAA MuthaLink:

 

WhyChat's HIPAA page

 

Very important to read the entire thing... the ENTIRE thing... and understand it, before you start. I for one am guilty of scanning and then misunderstanding how the process works. Tip o' the hat to WhyChat for his patience in answering ten thousand variations on the same questions

[wayhigh]

WhyChat,

 

Wouldn't the HIPAA letter also work for any paid medical account with a minor modification? I have a couple of long-standing PCO's that I'd love to use it on.

 

Furthermore, do you know who has jurisdiction over HIPAA violation suits? If it were small claims or state superior then I'd love to go after these doctors. If it's federal then it'd be really expensive to do so..

 

Finally, wouldn't the simple fact of the doctor's name being included as the OC with their MD designation be a HIPAA violation as that gives anyone that reads the report the name of the doctor I was treated by.

 

Cheers,

WH

Edited November 15, 2005 by wayhigh

[jlthacker]

hey listen, Im a new member, just joined yesterday. This site has a lot of interesting posts, just figured out how to post a message. I have some questions about fixing mine and my husbands credit report. Mostly medical bills. Do I just type in the message here?Sorry to seem so computer illiterate.

[TurboScot]

All of my credit problems are medical, I am a total newbie to the forumn but I am so glad that we have the information like this to help out. All though my credit score is average I would like to get it better(who wouldn't?).

 

I only have a total of 400 dollars deliquent. Should I pay this off or dispute? Not too sure I totally understand the process. I will be doing ALOT more reading on this. Thanks in advance , from a total newb!

[kkwalter]

I am a "newbie" to the realm of credit. My credit is very good, however, my husbands credit is NOT. He has various medical bills that negatively appear on his credit report. According to SOL, they will remain on his credit for a few more years, but I want to buy a house ASAP. What steps do I need to take in order to resolve these medical bills sooner rather than later? Pay the hospital? Please help. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[Thorsen]

Hi all. Little late in saying "hello" in the welcome forum as I have already jumped right in with my medical debt thread. I have spent several hours at this point reading through all of the information and experiences that everyone has been kind enough to post and cannot say enough how much I appreciate everyone's time, effort and shared knowledge. As I foresee my medical debt possibly going to court if I am not successful in challenging it away, I also have begun reading the court related forum and making some notes from that information as well.

 

A little background on my situation. I had a rough patch like many Americans in this latest "recession", and let my personal economic downturn affect my health, resulting in numerous visits to various doctors and three separate hospitals. A good portion of my medical related expenses were covered by my wife's insurance (thankfully at least one of us kept our job), but my deductibles went for the most part unpaid as we simply did not have the money. I also took the very stupid position of burying my head in the sand and not even paying attention to what was being charged to the insurance company and consequently to me. I can make excuses as to why I did not, but in the end I just simply failed to do so.

 

Now I am in a situation where I have two of the big three CRAs reporting at least some of my medical debt, along with some I don't recognize as mine and at least one entry that I do recognize as a doubled billing from a sleep study one of my doctors sent me for. The grand total is not as bad as some I have read on this site, but it still works out to be around $3200. The only negatives on my credit report are this medical related debt, a Chapter 13 that ages off in early 2014 (the chapter was due to the loss of income) and three credit cards that were included in the Chapter that also age off in early 2014. So now I have started the process of working through clearing up my credit.

 

My current FICO scores are:

 

EQ 620

EX 599

TU 605

 

I'd like to purchase a home in a couple of years, so I am starting now on this process of removing the medical collections from my account and rebuilding my formerly excellent credit rating. The medical debt removal process will be per Why Chat's established guide. The rebuilding is via five secured credit cards that I am keeping extremely low balances on. Also, I am attempting to take out a very small installment loan against both of my two currently completely paid off vehicles. Hopefully, with the removal of the medical collections, the aging off of the CH 13 and three former credit cards in 2014 and a couple of years of consistent payment on the five secured cards (none show as secured on my credit report) plus the installment loans (if I get them), my credit will take enough of a positive turn in 18 to 24 months that I can then obtain a home mortgage loan. A plus for me on that point is that I do qualify for VA home loans.

 

So, there is my intro message, current situation and goals. Thanks again for the website and the great information.

[Mozayka]

Wow, this post is pleasant, my sister is analyzing such things, so I am going to convey her.