Medical Lab Collections Spouse

[NewlySeperate]

I’m newly separated and I’m trying to re-establish my credit and financial independence.  There are 4 collections on my credit report that my husband was responsible for when we were together in 2020.  We both had extensive blood work done by a lab of which he was paying. We separated and he has not been paying so it went to collections and showed up on my report. 
 

I just disputed them online a few days ago and am waiting to see if they are removed. It has my name and not his. Is it even conceivable they will be deleted?  My score is in the 500 range right now. I don’t have much credit but want to repair and build.

[cv91915]

Are you working from paper copies of your reports that were mailed to you from each bureau directly?

 

You may get lucky and get one or more deletions, but it sounds like you may be trying to dispute legitimate debts.  Does your state make you jointly responsible for debts that are incurred while you are married?

 

Have you tried working out a settlement with the lab?  Sounds like you willingly accepted their services; perhaps they'll offer a discount and a deletion for settling the matter.

[CreditSucksNot]

13 hours ago, NewlySeperate said:

I’m newly separated and I’m trying to re-establish my credit and financial independence.  There are 4 collections on my credit report that my husband was responsible for when we were together in 2020.  We both had extensive blood work done by a lab of which he was paying. We separated and he has not been paying so it went to collections and showed up on my report. 
 

I just disputed them online a few days ago and am waiting to see if they are removed. It has my name and not his. Is it even conceivable they will be deleted?  My score is in the 500 range right now. I don’t have much credit but want to repair and build.

 When it comes to medical debt the bill is in the name of the patient except when the patient is a minor.  Health care would be a marital responsibility legally meaning both spouses are responsible for the debt.  The difficult part is regardless of what HE agreed to the lab or medical provider is not a party to that agreement even if the court ordered him to pay as part of the divorce decree.  This is why couples who are divorcing need to make every move to protect their credit as best they can on the chance the spouse does not do as they are supposed to.

 

Did he sign the financial guarantee at the lab?  That might give you some leverage?  Was he ordered to pay in the divorce?  Your only route to getting this deleted vs sued since it is care received last year may be to settle with the lab and go after your ex-husband to get it reimbursed.

[centex]

Even when there is a divorce decree, debts are not contractually shifted.  The entity owed money is not a party, in most cases, to the divorce proceeding.  The court order has no bearing on the bureaus because the bureaus are simply reporting defaults on contractual obligations.  Where a divorce has occurred and a judge tells one spouse to make payments and they don't, there is, however, an enforcement proceeding through a contempt hearing and sanctions. 

[Why Chat]

You say your husband was "paying"?? Did he have insurance that you were covered under?? Are you still on his insurance plan?? If so, get the EOMB ( explanation of medical benefits) from the insurance Co. and see what may or may not have been paid and how much was left as "patient responsibility". Please direct the moderators to transfer this post to the medical debt forum.

[NewlySeperate]

No insurance out of pocket.

We are not filing for divorce just yet. I am making sure I stay financially independent no matter what happens. He is struggling financially so he stopped paying.  I did the disputes online.  I don’t remember if we both or he signed solely.  If the only solution is to settle with the lab what is the maximum that they will do/report with a settlement?

[NewlySeperate]

No insurance out of pocket.

We are not filing for divorce just yet. I am making sure I stay financially independent no matter what happens. He is struggling financially so he stopped paying.  I did the disputes online.  I don’t remember if we both or he signed solely.  If the only solution is to settle with the lab what is the maximum that they will do/report with a settlement?

[NewlySeperate]

No insurance out of pocket.

We are not filing for divorce just yet. I am making sure I stay financially independent no matter what happens. He is struggling financially so he stopped paying.  I did the disputes online.  I don’t remember if we both or he signed solely.  If the only solution is to settle with the lab what is the maximum that they will do/report with a settlement?