Rebuilding Your Credit

[Wonderin]

I had my FAX letters all written out to send to the CAs we're trying to get off our CR, when I noticed that one didn't even HAVE a fax number anywhere that I could find!

So I called them (it's a local branch of a bigger company) and the woman I spoke to was wonderfully nice. Turns out there was fudge-up with our medical insurance (they didn't have OUR insurance listed on the paperwork they received from the hospital) and she said to the effect of "Since this is obviously hosed up, we'll go ahead and delete the TL after payment."

Sooo ... long, long story short, I broke the first commandment in dealing with a CA and gave them the payment with the understanding that she'd fax me the receipt later today/tomorrow morning with a notation that they will be deleting the TL. So far, I haven't seen it yet, but I'm crossing my fingers!!

I faxed the other CA with the same PFD form and still haven't heard back from them ... I gave them until the 1rst to get back to me if they wanted payment in FULL (they're only a month or so away from the SoL, and I don't think they could validate). Does that sound too desperate?? These people HAVE to give me the agreement signed, in writing, before I pay -- they have a bad reputation (CBCS).

Please wish me luck on both of these!! Meanwhile, until I KNOW the first CA has messed me over, I'll be dancing in the moonlight!! Yay!! At the very least, it feels good to get this PAID!!

[FixinMyCredit]

What type of account does CBCS have of yours?

[Wonderin]

Medical ... from a pathology group. That one scares the fudge right out of me ... I've heard that CBCS is a bear to deal with. The OC won't even talk to us, says that they sold the account over three years ago.

[FixinMyCredit]

This medical stuff is a PITA. I've got one too. Well, I had a couple but paid them. This one keeps haunting me from 2004.

Good luck!

[ramona32]

Wonderin,

Was this not billed to your insurance? If not,most insurances only allow a certain time period for claims to be submitted (and it sounds like it wasnt submitted if I am reading correctly) However if the hospital,physician or billing office fails to do so they can not in turn bill you. I personnally just dealt with this issue. A bill was turned over to collections and after much research and calling my insurance carrier I was made aware of there error. The CA had to remove the TL from all three reports.  

[FixinMyCredit]

I don't think hospitals, physicians or medical facilities are REQUIRED to bill insurance companies on behalf of the patient. Most do it as a courtesy but it is ultimately the insured responsibility to either make sure its filed by the medical facility or file it themselves. But yes, most ins co's have a certain time frame that claims can be filed. If there is proof that it was filed in a timely manner and something happened that it didn't post correctly or something like that, then they'll fix it.

[Wonderin]

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ramona32 wrote:

Wonderin,

Was this not billed to your insurance? If not,most insurances only allow a certain time period for claims to be submitted (and it sounds like it wasnt submitted if I am reading correctly) However if the hospital,physician or billing office fails to do so they can not in turn bill you. I personnally just dealt with this issue. A bill was turned over to collections and after much research and calling my insurance carrier I was made aware of there error. The CA had to remove the TL from all three reports.

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True ... I think I could have fought it, but most important to me is for it to be GONE. I'll futz with the insurance company LATER (and believe me, I WILL).

I'd rather pay-to-delete and have it disappear in a poof of smoke NOW than fight it and have it drag on our CRs for a month or two (while our insurance company and the hospital battle it out, I guess?).

[fused]

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FixinMyCredit wrote:
I don't think hospitals, physicians or medical facilities are REQUIRED to bill insurance companies on behalf of the patient. Most do it as a courtesy but it is ultimately the insured responsibility to either make sure its filed by the medical facility or file it themselves. But yes, most ins co's have a certain time frame that claims can be filed. If there is proof that it was filed in a timely manner and something happened that it didn't post correctly or something like that, then they'll fix it.

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Excellent post and 100% accurate!

[ivyalmighty]

You are exactly right, Fixin'. Very often, if you read the fine print on both your auths at the dr's office, AND your insurance handbook, you will see this noted. It's not common knowledge, though.

[Wonderin]

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fused wrote:

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FixinMyCredit wrote:
I don't think hospitals, physicians or medical facilities are REQUIRED to bill insurance companies on behalf of the patient. Most do it as a courtesy but it is ultimately the insured responsibility to either make sure its filed by the medical facility or file it themselves. But yes, most ins co's have a certain time frame that claims can be filed. If there is proof that it was filed in a timely manner and something happened that it didn't post correctly or something like that, then they'll fix it.

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Excellent post and 100% accurate!

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Yep, I remember seeing that in the paperwork every time I've gone to a doctor or hospital (been to this one three times -- and have received bills from them, which we've paid, but this one never came up??) ... that's pretty much why I decided not to dispute it directly with the hospital.

I think it was a boo-boo on someone's part in bookkeeping, accounting, et al, but ultimately, it was OUR boo-boo for not keeping on top of it.

In any case, the hospital is wonderful (though the accounting lady was a bit rude and snotty about the matter when I asked if I could pay THEM) -- the staff is womderful and completely compassionate and caring without somehow sacrificing their professionalism.

So all in all, I DO want the hospital to have their money ... they've more than earned it in the past. We just really wanted only to have this mistake off our CR.