Did I do the right thing with this medical collection?

[danny4l]

A doctor sent me a bill of $2100 for services provided when I was hospitalized in 2010.  I didn't have any money back then so I could not pay this bill.  The account went to collections and is on my credit report.

I have some extra money now and I am taking care of my derogatory collection entries.  Regarding this account, I called the collection company and offered $600 as payment in full. Initially they wanted $1000 and then $800 but now they agreed on the $600.

I told them I will send them a money order after they send me a letter on their company overhead stating that they are accepting $600 as payment in full and that they will remove the entries from all three credit beaureaus. 

Did I do the right thing?  Could this have been handled any other way?

I don't know if medical debt is handled differently and if I could have settled for less or if I could have not paid the bill at all.

Please let me know.

[Tommy5746]

with some work, medical bills can be removed from your credit report without the debt being satisfied.. However you should still try and pay the debt like you are! You did do the right and responsible thing...

[Anonymous]

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@Tommy5746 wrote:

with some work, medical bills can be removed from your credit report without the debt being satisfied.. However you should still try and pay the debt like you are! You did do the right and responsible thing...

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Please tell me more.  I have been paying off medical debt from collections.  I have 4 more collection accounts sitting on my credit report that I am working on removing.  Please let me know more about about removing without the debt being satisfied.

[danny4l]

I just want to make sure that the CA will remove the entry from my credit report.

When they say they will remove it and they put it in writing, does that mean that I can take them at their word?

[2NE1]

most users have had success getting (once satisfied) medical collections removed by trusting the CA's verbal agreement to delete. Let's hope you're one of them as well!

[Tommy5746]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Tommy5746 wrote:

with some work, medical bills can be removed from your credit report without the debt being satisfied.. However you should still try and pay the debt like you are! You did do the right and responsible thing...

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Please tell me more.  I have been paying off medical debt from collections.  I have 4 more collection accounts sitting on my credit report that I am working on removing.  Please let me know more about about removing without the debt being satisfied.

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Surely.. Its called Hipaa... Basically Hipaa is a medical privacy act which protects your privacy... For instance... let's say you had something on your credit report from a doctor’s office that specialized in the treatment of a serious ailment.. .. It may actually say "Dr. Smith Cancer Center" on your credit report which violates the HIPAA laws.. So, you can have this removed without the debt being paid in full... If you had to wait for the debt to be paid in full that would break the laws of Hipaa because that charge off could remain on your credit report for 7 years.. However... this does not mean you are now out of hot water with the debt owed to the doctor.. You still need to satisfy that debt... If you don't you risk going to court because they can sue over owed medical bills... Google "Hipaa Credit Report" and you will find various pages on the steps you need to take in order to have these medical collections removed from your reports.. Good Luck!

[Tommy5746]

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@danny4l wrote:

I just want to make sure that the CA will remove the entry from my credit report.

When they say they will remove it and they put it in writing, does that mean that I can take them at their word?

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If they put something in writing.. that is legally binding... SO, if they back out and don't remove the Charge off from your report when they promised to do so once the debt was satisfied then that is grounds for a field trip to court.. But I doubt that would happen seeing as it’s much more expensive to go to court than to simply take the derog off your reports..

[danny4l]

Just to clarify....whether you approach it either way that is through the HIPAA process or just paying the CA and asking them to remove the entry, you are still going to pay the debt?

I was initially thinking that the HIPAA process excempt you from paying.

[Anonymous]

 It may actually say "Dr. Smith Cancer Center" on your credit report which violates the HIPAA laws.. So, you can have this removed without the debt being paid in full... If you had to wait for the debt to be paid in full that would break the laws of Hipaa because that charge off could remain on your credit report for 7 years

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Thanks for the help.  The medicals that I have remaining on my credit report are for Hospitals or imaging centers.  AKA  Smalltown Hospital    Big Town Emergecy Center  Middle Town Imaging Center so that doesnt seem to work in my case.

[2NE1]

@danny4l

No, where did you get that idea from, the HIPAA process does not excempt you from paying. It helps you to get the collections removed AFTER paying the OC. If for some reason you were able to get the collections removed without paying then it doesn't mean they won't be creeping back on your CRs again. You gotta satisfy the debt. And like @Tommy5746 mentions if it's within SOL you can still get sued for the debt.