Unknown medical collection - how to find contact info

[Anonymous]

I am fairly new to this whole process and have a medical collection on my report that I have NO idea how to contact them. I have never received a bill from the original anesthesiology group, but it does occur during a time when my son had surgery, so it could be valid. Anyway, I want to contact them with a pay for delete letter. How do I identify this? Collection on debt to: Med1 02 Children S Anesthesiology The collection agency "Merchants Ad" was hired to collect a debt of $207 originally owed to "Med1 02 Children S Anesthesiology" on account number "XXX9726". Collection agency [?] Merchants Ad Original balance [?] $207 Current balance [?] $207 Status [?] Not Reported Date assigned [?] Oct 04, 2007 Date reported [?] Mar 21, 2008 Date last active [?] Not Reported Date paid [?] Not Reported Date closed [?] Not Reported Original lender [?] Med1 02 Children S Anesthesiology Account number [?] XXX9726 Type of account [?] Not Reported Account holder [?] Individual Type of credit [?] Not Reported Payment status [?] Not Reported Largest past balance [?] Not Reported Amount past due [?] Not Reported Account descriptions [?] Not Reported

[cadavis0609]

Send the CA a DV letter, you should be able to google "merchants ad" and find the address. It should provide you with the name of the OC, if in fact it is your debt. This is a good idea anyway simply because you're not positive its yours. From there you can google for a phone number or address and ask for a PFD, i think this is also a good candidate for the HIPAA process but I'm not very well versed on this, so hopefully a HIPAA vet will jump in. Try dealing with the OC, not the CA and don't forget to explain that you never recieved a bill but after pulling your reports, you saw this debt and would like to make payment.

Message Edited by cadavis0609 on 09-29-2008 10:22 AM

[Anonymous]

Also check the end of your credit report - there should be addresses on there.

And I agree - Try to pay the original creditor instead of the collection agency.

[llecs]

Consider going through the HIPAA process as an option.

[Anonymous]

Do not send a DV to the CA on a medical........Contact the OC to get the amount owed.....pay them and then start the HIPAA process

                   OR

Start with the Pre-Hipaa letter....then pay by using the next letter to the OC and PIF at that time.

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/fico/board/message?board.id=rebuildingcredit&thread.id=27537

Do not talk or contact a CA about medical collections!