New here-need advice regarding medical collections

[Anonymous]

First of all let me say that I am excited, overwhelmed and somewhat intimidated at all the knowledge here.

 I wish I had known about this forum sooner!!! And I also wish I had been more responsible with paying medical bills. Right now my credit score is 626-Experian and 627-Exquifax....not too bad but not good either. I would love to improve/rebuild my credit. I have done just about all I can do minus my nagging issues below.

I have 2 medical bills that I paid in full to a CA. After I paid them, I was wondering why my credit score didn't move! GO FIGURE! LOL... Anyway, after joining this site and trying to understand this FICO/CREDIT thing a little better, I read somewhere that if you have paid off medical collections account to a CA, then the HIPPA process does not apply? You have had to pay the debt to the original creditor?

Also, I am currently in the process of paying off another medical collection account to a CA.... I've only made 2 payments to them. I didn't know about the PFD, etc or the HIPPA process until this week.   SO in an attempt to reverse or salvage,  I called the OC, and asked could I pay THEM instead of the CA. They said NO, because of how long it's been in collections since 9/9/09...

Is it true, that the HIPPA process does not work if you have paid your account in full to a CA ?? So I do I not have any grounds whatsoever with the CRA , CA, or OC and I will be just stuck with this showing on my CR as a PAID COLLECTIONS.? What to do, what to do......

Any advice or help is appreciated.

[llecs]

Welcome!

If you follow the HIPAA process (and google "HIPAA process" for detailed info), then the payment needed to go to the OC. The premise behind HIPAA is that your medical info is private and therefore a CA shouldn't be reporting it. If you pay a CA, then you are telling them, in part, about the medical and therefore the process might be voided out.

If you made an arrangement, I would follow through as promised. Then you can try two things. First, I would send a GW letter to the CA (since they know about the medical anyway) and ask them to delete. Start with the one you already paid off and then the other after you pay it off. Keep trying and be persistent. If that doesn't work, then I'd try the HIPAA process anyway. It won't hurt anything.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Ilecs... since I didn't know which direction to go, I figured just as you said...the HIPPA process couldn't hurt anything....I already mailed my first batch of HIPPA letters this morning to the CRA (Experian).....they are the only one reporting the 2 paid medical collections.

We'll see how that one goes....as for the 3rd medical collection that I am currently in the payment process with, with the CA....I will continue to pay them as agreed....and after payment in full, and if I have any luck with it now, I will do the HIPPA process again....

...........to be continued

[mauve]

With the CA that you're paying, you can always try to PFD for the balance.