DV shows incorrect SS#

[fused]

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SCAREDCROW wrote:

Hello everyone; I'm hoping some of you may have insight on how to handle this one;

My wife and I recently did a DV on a medical collection account, and what the CA returned was interesting.  The  collection involves a situation where my son received medical treatment.  The collection account shows up 'only' on my wife's CR, while the billing documentation shows only my social security number as I was the party on the insurance. 

1. How can she legally be tagged on this if her SS# does not show anywhere?

2. Can the collection be disputed with the CA to have them remove it from her CR?

3. (Or) should the account just be disputed with the CRA for removal?

The CA is reporting it to the wrong SS# but if we continue to work through this, they may decide to report to my CR also.  Then we are faced with this being reported on both my wife's and my CR.

Thanks all for your assistance.

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Is the OC a provider or a hospital? It would appear that your wife signed the paperwork as the guarantor and as such, she IS the responsible party.

[SmartCookie]

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SCAREDCROW wrote:

Hello everyone; I'm hoping some of you may have insight on how to handle this one;

My wife and I recently did a DV on a medical collection account, and what the CA returned was interesting.  The  collection involves a situation where my son received medical treatment.  The collection account shows up 'only' on my wife's CR, while the billing documentation shows only my social security number as I was the party on the insurance. 

1. How can she legally be tagged on this if her SS# does not show anywhere?

2. Can the collection be disputed with the CA to have them remove it from her CR?

3. (Or) should the account just be disputed with the CRA for removal?

The CA is reporting it to the wrong SS# but if we continue to work through this, they may decide to report to my CR also.  Then we are faced with this being reported on both my wife's and my CR.

Thanks all for your assistance.

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This has happened before.  Sounds like it was your wife who brought your son to the doctor and signed the financial responsibility for a minor type form that picks up whatever your insurance does not cover.   If so, she is legally responsible yes.

As people have mentioned, is any part of this balance an insurance issue?  If so, I'd suggest starting there and working with the OC (if they still own it) on a PFD for any remaining balance after that.  In the meantime, you certainly can try to dispute and get that off of your reports but I don't have high hopes.  That doesn't prevent you from being sued though if within SOL ... which is why I suggest the PFD to cover both problems.  

[Anonymous]

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marty56 wrote:

It is my understanding that the person who has the medical plan is responsible to pay the portion that the medical insurance didnt cover (deductable, co-pay, non-covered charges).

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Maybe yes and maybe no. More than once, I know personally I've had providers bill me or receive payment and then get cagey about repaying me after I talk with insurance and discover that I didn't owe that amount.

Every insurance plan is different, even within the same company. Not all CIGNA plans are created equal. Under some plans, the insured is NOT responsible for non-covered charges because the provider has signed an agreement with insurance to bill X for service Y, and that's it. The provider is NOT permitted to bill for the non-covered charges. In some states, it's possible the provider is committing fraud if they willfully or knowingly do this--but proving it or getting charges filed could be challenging. However, calling the insurance company, IMHO, is a great place to start searching since, again just my experience, providers screw up far more often than do insurance companies.