I think I'm making things worse

[HopeThruFaith]

Sorry for long post. I think I am making my credit score worse. I started repairing my credit in April of this year. My score started out at 561. I have 2 credit cards, one about 18 months old and the other 5 months old. I have a $500 line of credit with my bank thats always paid on time. I have student loans that are in deferment since I'm still in school and they have never been in default. I have a car loan that was 30 days late 3 times this year out of the 4 years I've had the car. (One in Jan and then in November and December) I was late due to being hospitalized in Nov/Dec. I paid down my two CC's and my score jumped to 624 (Fico)

My credit started with about 18 collection items (mostly medical) 3 defaults from previous apartments, one charged off CC, one from Verizon. EQ shows a chapter 13 that was dismissed (not discharged) and will fall off this July. I attempted to dispute all items to see if I could get "lucky" and have some items removed. Fortunately I did get some things removed but mostly only on TU whereas they stayed in EQ and EX. In disputing the charged off CC re-set the date and I believe it caused a drop in my score. Several items have aged off and have been removed but I've also PFD several items as well. Two of the apartments fell off and I settled and PIF the last one but they refused to delete. (I plan to try a GW letter) about three weeks ago I get an alert of a new collection. (I'm so frustrated) Its from an ambulance service that never filed a claim with my insurance and they never contacted me. I contacted my insurance and was told that it was to late to file. I'm trying to appeal but it looks like I'm screwed. This collection caused another drop. I have yet to see any improvement from the 10 items I had deleted.

As it stands I have Verizon $1229, $767 in medical bills, the charge off that's reset, the bankruptcy falling off in July, and now this ambulance collection of $912. My lender pulled score as of 5/16 was 587, 561, and 581. How should I proceeded? My goal is to get my scores up to qualify for a FHA loan.

[guiness56]

If the CO had not been reporting in a while and you disputed it, the date would update to the current date and make it look newer, that is the reason for the drop in score.  It is still the same DoFD and will be excluded at the same time as before.  Nothing was reset.   That is one of the main reasons not to dispute accurate information.  It can do more harm than good.

Did you contact the CA about the ambulance to see if they would do a PFD? 

How old are the other collections?  Are they still owned by the OC or does the CA own them?

[HopeThruFaith]

I haven't talked to the CA about the PFD, that was my last resort. I was hoping that I can get my insurance to pick up the claim via their appeals process. All my other collections are from 2008 or older and are all with the CA.