Breaking it down

[Anonymous]

Penned a long post earlier...too many questions.

First problem is a medical bill that went to collections and now shows $0 balance/default. 

Is is my best course of action to contact the OC (medical provider) and ask for PFD? It is $1384 and I will gladly PIF. 

Thx for any suggestions. 

[gdale6]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Penned a long post earlier...too many questions.

First problem is a medical bill that went to collections and now shows $0 balance/default. 

Is is my best course of action to contact the OC (medical provider) and ask for PFD? It is $1384 and I will gladly PIF. 

Thx for any suggestions. 

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If this is showing a 0 balance then the OC or the reporting CA might not even own the debt any longer. Per CRA rules only one CA can report on a debt at a time if they no longer have collection authority then they must delete it. As far as valid medical debt here is the order in which to proceed with it

For unpaid medical debt that is reporting on your CR:

1. Call the OC and see if you qualify for Charity Care
2. If not then ask that they recall the collection in exchange for full payment
3. Send the reporting CA a PFD offer
4. Google the HIPAA Process and contact its creator for help

[RonM21]

Those are good suggestions. I'm not sure this applies, but if they do have to delete it, there may be a gap in time before someone new takes on the debt. It's in that time where if you pay it off, that may keep it.from reporting again. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Penned a long post earlier...too many questions.

First problem is a medical bill that went to collections and now shows $0 balance/default. 

Is is my best course of action to contact the OC (medical provider) and ask for PFD? It is $1384 and I will gladly PIF. 

Thx for any suggestions. 

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I would ask for a PIF first if not than google the HIPPA process and follow it word for word.

[RobertEG]

I would first contact either the creditor or debt collector and find out who currently owns the debt.

You cannot requrest a PFD from the OC for reporting by a debt collector.

You cannot pay any party, PFD or otherwise, who does not own the debt or is an assigned debt collector of the currernt owner.

Reporing of $0 by the debt collector signifies their statement that they are no longer pursuing collection on the debt.

I would send a request of deletion to the CRA based on the presumption that they no longer have collection authority.

However, a new debt colelctor could pop up at any time,so determining who now owns the debt would be my priority one.

[Anonymous]

@RobertEG wrote:

I would first contact either the creditor or debt collector and find out who currently owns the debt.

You cannot requrest a PFD from the OC for reporting by a debt collector.

You cannot pay any party, PFD or otherwise, who does not own the debt or is an assigned debt collector of the currernt owner.

Reporing of $0 by the debt collector signifies their statement that they are no longer pursuing collection on the debt.

I would send a request of deletion to the CRA based on the presumption that they no longer have collection authority.

However, a new debt colelctor could pop up at any time,so determining who now owns the debt would be my priority one.

So the CA listed on the CR may not own the debt? Once I determine who owns the debt, shouldn't I pay it and ask then to remove it?  I understand the CA may elect to accept my payment them refuse to delete it from my reports but I'm confused as to why the CRA would be inclined to delete it when it shows I didn't pay the debt. I'm not sure what you mean about the CA no longer having collection authority.  

[MrsCHX]

He's saying that since it's $0 it is possible that it's with a different collection agency. They do that all the time; sell debt from one agency to another. So if agency 'A' no longer holds that debt; it should be removed. You would then find out which agency has it (agency 'B') and pay it. The other part is that *if* A no longer holds it then A has to delete it. And if you can get to B and pay it before it's ever reported to a bureau by B; then you're in the clear. Once you've paid it they can't report it.

[Anonymous]

I would try to pay off the debt so the new company will probably wont report

[RobertEG]

If a debt collector has reported a collection and their collection authority is later terminated, either by termination of assigned collection authority if they dont own the debt, or by their sale of the debt if they own it, then a new debt collector can report to the CRA.

The CRA policy of requring a debt collector to delete if their collection authority is terminated applies only to situations where the debt remains unpaid, and is intended to thereafter prevent the simultaneous showing of two collections on the same debt.

The CRA policy, however, is the oppostive if the debt is paid while the debt collector had collection authority.

In such cases, payment terminates any future debt collection, and thus no new debt collector will report.

The CRA policy then instructs the debt collector not to delete.

[Anonymous]

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@RobertEG wrote:

If a debt collector has reported a collection and their collection authority is later terminated, either by termination of assigned collection authority if they dont own the debt, or by their sale of the debt if they own it, then a new debt collector can report to the CRA.

The CRA policy of requring a debt collector to delete if their collection authority is terminated applies only to situations where the debt remains unpaid, and is intended to thereafter prevent the simultaneous showing of two collections on the same debt.

The CRA policy, however, is the oppostive if the debt is paid while the debt collector had collection authority.

In such cases, payment terminates any future debt collection, and thus no new debt collector will report.

The CRA policy then instructs the debt collector not to delete.

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But CA might delete if PIF as long as I determine the one reporting owns the debt, correct? 

Now, one last question about this one with CA... I know it is mine and I know I owe it. Do I still need to request DV? Also, should all of this communication with CA  be in writing vs phone calls?