medical collection question...update and ?? about next step

[Anonymous]

A while back I posted about a med collection.  It was an emergency room visit in Sept 03.  This is the doctor bill...hospital bill was paid a LONG time ago by insurance.  This appeared a few months ago on cr, and I called to get the date of service and provider info.  I didn't know anything then, so i didn't DV.  I DV'd 10 days ago, although it is obviously more than 30 days after I KNEW of the debt because of my call to the CA.  They replied today with a letter stating:

We have recently received your dispute indicating that you would like validation of the above mentioned account.  Attached please find itemized bill of the debt.

If you have further questions, please call our company at xxx-xxx-xxxx.

Thank you,

Creditech support (NO NAME)

They included a piece of paper (plain white...no letterhead) that says ITEMIZED STATEMENT.  It has a date of Jan 7, 2008 at the top, the doctor's address, a file #, our home address, hospital, date of service, description of service and amount due.  That's it.  I know from my reading here that this is not adequate validation of this debt, but since I didn't DV in 30 days am I up a creek without a paddle????

[sadie71]

Is there anyway you can check with your insurance to see if the doctor submitted the claim to them and if so, the reason why it was not paid.  If I read correctly regarding HIPPA laws, if the provider does not furnish the correct information, such as their provider number, so that the insurance can pay, then they cannot collect from you because they failed to properly provide the necessary information to your insurance to process and pay the claim.   

SO, I would check with the insurance first.  If you are no longer with that insurance, you can get a copy of your medical records and billing information from the doctor's and see if they did file with your insurance and if so, see why the claim was denied.  

You need to find out why the claim was not paid first and then you will have a better idea on how to proceed.