Leave well enough alone ?

[Guest Zephyr]

Hello All,

 

I have a collection account from a doctor's office visit that is almost two years old and I'm wondering if should try to dispute or let age take care of the problem. I'll admit that I was late paying for the $30 visit due to my own procrastination, but several months later I contacted the doctor, paid him the amount past due and still visit his office occasionally. Apparently the account had been turned over to a CA which is now causing a blemish on my report. I have no other credit history other than a cosigned auto loan paid off two years ago with a few 30 day lates (correct) and a new "toy" credit card opened this summer.

 

Does the collection agancy have a legitimate claim if they bought the account from the doctor, and if I dispute, could I end up with a recently paid collection which would damage my score even more ?

 

I'm not looking to buy a house in the next year, nor am I interested in getting anything more than a no-frills unsecured credit card to use for car rental and the occasional emergency.

 

Advice ?

 

BTW, FICO's range from mid to high 600's

[v-rod]

All the doctor has to do is call the CA and tell them it has been paid and to remove it.

[TeeSharice]

Id NOT opt for leaving well enough alone

[SassyinAz]

Hello All,

 

I have a collection account from a doctor's office visit that is almost two years old and I'm wondering if should try to dispute or let age take care of the problem. I'll admit that I was late paying for the $30 visit due to my own procrastination, but several months later I contacted the doctor, paid him the amount past due and still visit his office occasionally. Apparently the account had been turned over to a CA which is now causing a blemish on my report. I have no other credit history other than a cosigned auto loan paid off two years ago with a few 30 day lates (correct) and a new "toy" credit card opened this summer.

You can always do nothing and ride out your seven years, but I wouldn't.

 

Send a validation letter, if and when they validate, consider a pay for deletion.

 

Does the collection agancy have a legitimate claim if they bought the account from the doctor, and if I dispute, could I end up with a recently paid collection which would damage my score even more ?

No

 

Sassy

[v-rod]

Doesn't he say that he already paid the doctor?

 

If Doc will not call to get it removed, then he should not have accepted the payment when it had been sold.

[TeeSharice]

Doesn't he say that he already paid the doctor?

 

If Doc will not call to get it removed, then he should not have accepted the payment when it had been sold.

 

 

 

perhaps the debt was not SOLD to the CA....

 

the OP needs to start withthe DV...the 1st obvious step in the HIPAA deletion process

[Guest Zephyr]

Thanks for the input - I called his office and ended up talking to the doc since his bookkeeper was not in. He referred to paying them a commission and telling them that the debt was paid, but that I should talk to the bookkeeper tomorrow. I don't think he's that involved in the bookkeeping himself so I don't think he understood my questions, but does "paying a commission" to the collection agency imply that OC did not sell the debt, and therefore I may have a better shot at deletion ?

[v-rod]

Zephyr,

 

You did pay your bill, correct? If so, they should have no issues with getting the CA to delete it for you.

 

Good luck!

[Guest Zephyr]

Yes, I did pay the doctor's office directly (admittedly very late) and they do have record of that. I just don't want them to do me any favors by telling the CA that the debt is paid without being clear that it needs to come off of my report. In other words, due to the perversity of FICO scoring, I'd rather have a 2 year unpaid collection than a new paid collection showing.

[hoosgirl]

The doctor's office agreement with the CA may be that even if the debtor pays the doctor directly, the doctor is still responsible for paying the CA's fee - basically that their efforts at collection resulted in getting it paid, no matter who it was paid to.

[v-rod]

I would offer to pay that fee too if they would get it deleted...

[Guest Zephyr]

Then it may be that there's nothing much to dispute on my report other than the paid/unpaid status, in which case I should just leave it alone. If the bookkeeper feels honor-bound to notify the CA of payment received, then couldn't the date of last acitivity be updated ?

 

How much does a collection drag down your score if it's a miniscule amount and you have two years of stellar credit history after the "baddie" appears ?

[SassyinAz]

Stay off the phone, oyyyyyyyyy!

 

A paid collection is no better than an unpaid collection for your scores.

 

Send the validation letter to the CA and dispute it with the CRA's. The CA is responsible for the reporting, not the doctor.

 

Sassy

[v-rod]

Don't know about the score but if it were me, I would chance it to get it removed being that it is only two years old. They may end up reporting to the CA in the future anyways.

 

Study up on HIPAA and throw that in his face if he gives you any problems. If you go HIPAA, do not contact the CA in any way.

[v-rod]

Stay off the phone, oyyyyyyyyy!

 

A paid collection is no better than an unpaid collection for your scores.

 

Send the validation letter to the CA and dispute it with the CRA's. The CA is responsible for the reporting, not the doctor.

 

Sassy

I would stay off the phone with the CA. But, a personal call to the doctor's bookkeeper could save alot of time. It has worked for me. That is why I am suggesting it.

[Guest Zephyr]

Can someone point me to some HIPPA threads ?

 

:twisted: I happen to know someone who's worked on his car and found some interesting "substances" in his trunk. Hmmm.....

[v-rod]

Can someone point me to some HIPPA threads ?

 

:twisted: I happen to know someone who's worked on his car and found some interesting "substances" in his trunk. Hmmm.....

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

[TeeSharice]

Don't know about the score but if it were me, I would chance it to get it removed being that it is only two years old. They may end up reporting to the CA in the future anyways.

 

Study up on HIPAA and throw that in his face if he gives you any problems. If you go HIPAA, do not contact the CA in any way.

 

 

ya are WRONG

There is nothign wrong with contacting the CA in the case of HIPAA violations..ya NEED to request DV regardless

[Guest Zephyr]

Thanks for the link, but I'm just wondering if I foolishly waived any HIPAA rights with all of the paperwork I signed in his offce.

 

I know I may sound naive, but since I've not had a confontational relationship with his office and I've been back to see him a few times, I may simply explain the situation to the bookeeper and see if she'll just tell the CA that the amount has been paid as agreed.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone. I will consider everything before making my next move.

[TeeSharice]

Thanks for the link, but I'm just wondering if I foolishly waived any HIPAA rights with all of the paperwork I signed in his offce.

 

I know I may sound naive, but since I've not had a confontational relationship with his office and I've been back to see him a few times, I may simply explain the situation to the bookeeper and see if she'll just tell the CA that the amount has been paid as agreed.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone. I will consider everything before making my next move.

 

its quite simple...you have already paid...I assume you have proof of your payment to the OC

 

Ya next move is to send a DV to the CA

then ya can send the modified HIPAA letter

 

ALONG with that, also ya can also send a goodwill letter to the OC( likely a copy to both the Dr himself and the bookkeeper) saying ya credit is trashed over $30 that ya mistakenly paid late, yada Pls encourage the CA to delete the TL, as it will be a win/win since the OC is paid

[v-rod]

Don't know about the score but if it were me, I would chance it to get it removed being that it is only two years old. They may end up reporting to the CA in the future anyways.

 

Study up on HIPAA and throw that in his face if he gives you any problems. If you go HIPAA, do not contact the CA in any way.

 

 

ya are WRONG

There is nothign wrong with contacting the CA in the case of HIPAA violations..ya NEED to request DV regardless

This is from the page I linked above:

 

"DO NOT under any circumstances, write or correspond with the CA regarding this matter, any correspondence or communication that YOU instigate will be deemed to be a waiver of your privacy rights under HIPAA,and will impede any cause of action you might have."

[TeeSharice]

Don't know about the score but if it were me, I would chance it to get it removed being that it is only two years old. They may end up reporting to the CA in the future anyways.

 

Study up on HIPAA and throw that in his face if he gives you any problems. If you go HIPAA, do not contact the CA in any way.

 

 

ya are WRONG

There is nothign wrong with contacting the CA in the case of HIPAA violations..ya NEED to request DV regardless

This is from the page I linked above:

 

"DO NOT under any circumstances, write or correspond with the CA regarding this matter, any correspondence or communication that YOU instigate will be deemed to be a waiver of your privacy rights under HIPAA,and will impede any cause of action you might have."

 

 

WHYCHAT's approach has been debated & shown to be flawed in the theory of not contacting the CA...

 

 

Hoping Sassy will chime in & paste a link or 2 if I cant do so in the next few minutes....I suggest ya search some older HIPAA threads that have shown ya need to and should request validation regardless of HIPAA

[SassyinAz]

Don't know about the score but if it were me, I would chance it to get it removed being that it is only two years old. They may end up reporting to the CA in the future anyways.

 

Study up on HIPAA and throw that in his face if he gives you any problems. If you go HIPAA, do not contact the CA in any way.

 

 

ya are WRONG

There is nothign wrong with contacting the CA in the case of HIPAA violations..ya NEED to request DV regardless

This is from the page I linked above:

 

"DO NOT under any circumstances, write or correspond with the CA regarding this matter, any correspondence or communication that YOU instigate will be deemed to be a waiver of your privacy rights under HIPAA,and will impede any cause of action you might have."

 

Oyyyyyyyyyy

 

It is impossible to waive your Hipaa protections, can't be done, illegal to even ask -- only in specifically named circumstances can you, and that requires detailed and specific wording (e.g., experimental medical testing).

 

Further, if you'd do some cursory research (search button), you'd find that WhyChat himself says the same -- BUT to know that and understand the statement, you'd have to read and understand his Hipaa series and theory, which was based on Hipaa's definition of payment purpose.

 

HOWEVER, the series was BEFORE the OCR ruled that it isn't a Hipaa violation for an OC to share information with a CA regarding payment history/experience -- soooooooo, NO Hipaa violation.

 

Here's 2 threads that may help:

 

http://www.creditboards.com/phpBB2/viewtop...light=sassy+ocr

 

http://www.creditboards.com/phpBB2/viewtop...light=sassy+ocr

 

Don't rely on any information that you don't confirm, v-rod, and that information can't be confirmed. Don't believe me either, go read the Hipaa regulations and find out for yourself!!!

 

Additionally, I don't know what to tell ya'll if you want to blow off the basics, stay off the phone, send a validation letter, and don't sacrifice your papertrail -- if you want to end up with an accurately reported negative TL that you can live with for 7-years knock yourselves out.

 

Send a validation letter, if and when they validate, send a modified Hipaa letter or negotiate a pay for delete.

 

Tee, I'm going to go click on your coochie coupon's link, I think it would be more productive.

 

Sassy

[v-rod]

Don't rely on any information that you don't confirm, v-rod, and that information can't be confirmed. Don't believe me either, go read the Hipaa regulations and find out for yourself!!!

Will not happen again!!!