Feeling very down and defeated. :(

[coterotie]

Couple of things:

1. Small medical collections are excluded from score calculation purposes under the newest model.
2. The repo will likely completely disappear from the scoring and reporting, however the late's will haunt you for a couple of years.  I had two separate redeemed repos and both tradelines now report as positive.
3. You need to overwhelm the impact by opening several trade lines, your scores should be fine with doing that.

The collection will disappear in 2018 at the latest, but I wouldn't worry about it.

You will qualify for a home loan if all your other accounts are paid on time when your scores get to 640.  Conventional loan at 680 and you should be there in 2 years at the latest.

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@Calidreaming wrote:

I have two major derrogatories on my credit report--a redeemed repo from Nov 2013 and a $41 medical collection from 2011 that I did not even know about until a couple of months ago.  Turns out the medical collection is hurting my score every bit as much as the repo, because on TU, which is not reporting the collection, my score is 711 and but the other two are in the low 600s.  Me and my husband are trying to buy a house next year and so this medical collection seems to be the one thing keeping us from getting one.

I first tried disputing the collection, but they were able to verify and provide proof of the bill.  I called and asked if they accepted pfds but they said they do not.  I called the OC and they just referred me back to the CA.  I sent a GW letter via the CA's website and the rep called me and said that they would still have to report it as a paid collection, which does nothing for me.  All of the people I have spoken to have been very sympathetic, but aren't willing to do anything that will really help me. 

I am about to just pay this stupid bill and just be resigned to the fact that my dreams of owning a home may have to be on hold.  I will try to send a snail mail letter to them after it is paid to the agency and email the CEO, but I really am not feeling like I will be successful. 

I am 40 years old and have young children.  By the time these drop off I will be almost 50 and my oldest child will be in middle school.  I feel like my whole life is passing me by.  I have had perfect credit with absolutely no lates up to now, and all of that responsible behavior seems to have been for nothing. 

Thanks for letting me vent.

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[kjel]

Don't be discouraged. It's an up and down process and can take many months. I started 2 years ago with scores in the 540s. Defaulted student loans, medical collections, a judgment from a hospital bill, and an assortment of lates on other accounts.

Of the 3 medical collections I had ranging from $50-$250. One agreed to a PFD, the other two told me to take a hike. I paid the other two and a few months later I disputed them. One was removed (small local CA) and the other verified but at least showing paid. For the judgment I ended up hiring an attorney and she negotiated a 50% settlement in exchange for a consent order to vacate the judgment so it also was removed from my reports. I rehabbed the student loans and now have a perfect payment history showing on the TLs and was able to get goodwill adjustments on many other TLs.

Frankly my biggest score boosters were time, 24 months of timely payments, lowering my utilization to 9% or less, growing my existing credit card accounts, and pretty much not applying for new credit. Two weeks ago I received a mortgage approval for $150K @ 4%.

Hang in there.

[Anonymous]

That's right, hang in there and DON'T give up!! The same thing recently happened with me after I sent GW letter. I felt the same way that you're feeling now, because I too plan on buying a home. I was told no, but I kept calling, like every week/ week and half. I was told "No" several times, because my account was reporting accurately. I still called again, and they finally transferred my call to someone who I had to explain my situation of falling behind to. It helped, because they sent the requests to the CRA and now my reports are clear from of that TL, they deleted them. So hold on!!

[Calidreaming]

Thanks so much for the encouragement everyone.  I really appreciate it. 

Now that I've calmed down, I realize that the worst case scenario is that we have to wait an extra year to get in a home at most.  I have gotten new inspiration now so I am going to press on in my fight to get the medical CA removed. 

Shellie, I haven't called my insurer because my insurer has changed quite a few times since then.  I don't even remember who it was at the time.  I may do some digging soon if it comes down to it.

coterotie, thanks so much for the advice.  I didn't realize that about repos.  I guess that is why the repo isn't affecting me nearly as bad as I would have thought.  So I guess it stays on the report but isn't factored into the scoring??

teresa, your story gives me hope.  I am not going to leave these folks alone.  They are either going to delete or they are going to have to deal with me until I get in a house.  I've been reading up on using hipaa to dispute and that method seems to be really effective.  If that doesn't work, then I'm going to get on a regular calling schedule.

[SunriseEarth]

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@Calidreaming wrote:

Thanks so much for the encouragement everyone.  I really appreciate it. 

Now that I've calmed down, I realize that the worst case scenario is that we have to wait an extra year to get in a home at most.  I have gotten new inspiration now so I am going to press on in my fight to get the medical CA removed. 

Shellie, I haven't called my insurer because my insurer has changed quite a few times since then.  I don't even remember who it was at the time.  I may do some digging soon if it comes down to it.

coterotie, thanks so much for the advice.  I didn't realize that about repos.  I guess that is why the repo isn't affecting me nearly as bad as I would have thought.  So I guess it stays on the report but isn't factored into the scoring??

teresa, your story gives me hope.  I am not going to leave these folks alone.  They are either going to delete or they are going to have to deal with me until I get in a house.  I've been reading up on using hipaa to dispute and that method seems to be really effective.  If that doesn't work, then I'm going to get on a regular calling schedule.

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Our current community standards prevent discussion of the "HIPAA method" of removal, so you would either have to search the archives or the internet at large for for information on that.

As for GW efforts, be persistent.   Send monthly letters.  You can also try emails, calls, faxes, etc.   While the CA is obligated to make sure information reported on your CRs is accurate, they are not mandated to report any information at all.   In my GW efforts, I received many "no" responses before the CA finally agreed to delete.  

[Shellie]

I only push that issue because we all know that CA's are not always honest and the will take advantage of you if you don't know any better.

The thing about the ins is easy...if the provider didn't file with you ins for what ever reason or they filed past the timely filing period they CANNOT bill you.  Period.

If it was a car wreck for example... a lot (most) health care providers will refuse see you unless you pay with cash and wait for reimbursement. They will tell you that you have to pay with cash up front because it's an MVA.  This is not ture.  The reason for this is pure greed.  If they have to bill your ins they have to take a cut and write off a portion of that bill.  They think that if it was an MVA that you are going to get a big ol' fat settlement and they will get paid 100% of the amount they bill.  

Generally ins companies allow a provider 1 year from the date of service to file a claim, some only 6 mo.  If they filed but it was past that deadline and they were denied due to timely filing, they can't bill you.

There are other reason they don't file but you should double check just to be sure.  Don't call the provider or the CA.  Call the ins yourself.  If you can't remember, you should be able to call the provider who rendered you services and ask them if that can look and tell you which ins they had on file for you for that sate of service.  

If you should get lucky and find that they did not file then they have no choice but to remove it.

If this was a co-pay that you didn't pay the rules don't apply.  That is your known portion for treatment and they do not file with ins for that.