Anyone else annoyed with minimum payments...

[Shellie]

I need to vent!  It is so frustrating to call to set up payment arrangements and they will only accept a pre-set minimum amount.  We can't always avoid ER visits.  We have medical insurance and are paying our bills.  If I can't afford your payments, what now?  It's just frustrating!!

[Pupeitmeister]

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@Shellie wrote:

I need to vent!  It is so frustrating to call to set up payment arrangements and they will only accept a pre-set minimum amount.  We can't always avoid ER visits.  We have medical insurance and are paying our bills.  If I can't afford your payments, what now?  It's just frustrating!!

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I agree, this is very frustrating.

what I started doing was sending $10.00 a month.  If they decline the payment, then they null and void the debt for refusal to accept payment, (at least thats how it was explained to me, correct me if i am wrong}

As time goes on , you will be able to give more, you just have to get back on track.

Good Luck Shellie, and my prayers are lifted for you and your family

[meehan22]

Always want to be careful with CA's depending on who you are dealing with. 

I work for a CA pushing judgments, garns, executions, etc and cant tell ya how many people i've sued based on the fact they believe they have to only send in a dollar a month or what not to hold us off. Than they send in using a personal check so I can sue than do a bank garn. 

If you do decide to send something in always use a money order/cashiers check! Try not to have it setup for automatic payments if it all possible less info they have on you the better. 

[Anonymous]

meehan22 - thanks for bringing the real world to this site. It is always good when we deal with the facts!

[meehan22]

Whatever I can do to help.  

Collection Agencies and even OC's can be scary. OC's will hand me not only employment info but if you've ever sent them a payment via a personal checking account I will sometimes get a bank name and such to go off of for a lawsuit. 

Sending in a payment of anything doesn't always stop the collection process depending on the CA, where you live, and how the judge is there. If they decide to do a lawsuit and you dispute, it goes to court and the judge reviews your finances and sees even though hard but possible to agree to the payment arranagement you'll find yourself with a judgment. 

If you're not able to do a payment plan with the OC, CA i'd run to your CU and get a personal loan for the debt owed.  

[Shellie]

I was talking about setting up payments with the OC.  EX.. I had an MRI and I owe around $1700 after ins.  I don't have that much to pay in full.  I call to set up payments to avoid it going to collections and they will only take $100 or $50 or what ever their minimum is. 

[Shellie]

I know it's not their problem but I have more than just their bill.  I'm trying to pay my bills but they make it too difficult.

[fishbjc]

Look at it from their side.  If someone owed you $1700, would you want $50 per month?  It does cost money to process a payment.  I would have spoken to them about reducing their fees.  You can apply for a reduction due to income, etc. 

I owed the surgery center $1650, asked them what they would accept for payment-in-full, they deducted 20%.  It's just another way to maximize my income.

Give them a call and ask them for a reduction on the bill, you may be surprised.  Do you have an HSA that you can contribute toward?  I believe there are self-funded ones offered by a few banks, Chase perhaps?

[Shellie]

If I had the money to pay it full then the high payments wouldn't be an issue.