topic Re: Medical collection question in General Credit Topics

Medical collection question

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 04:17:40 GMT

This is on DH's report. It's a CA for a medical emergency room bill...the emergency doctor's bill for $173. Because it is DH's I am having a hard time getting the date of service but I believe it is Sept 2003. He didn't have his insurance card that day so we had to send it to the hospital billing dept. The emergency room visit was paid, but not this bill. Maybe a bad code?? I don't know, but when I saw it pop up on his report three months ago I called them stating we never received a letter or notice from them. The rep told me we had been sent a letter, but God as my witness I never saw one. SOOO, is it too late to DV? Since I talked to them three months ago? I know insurance won't pay since it is 4 years later. Or should I PFD?

Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks...

Re: Medical collection question

SmartCookie — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 07:34:22 GMT

I hope you mean you spoke with OC, never speak with a CA. Yes you should have DV'd earlier but do not let that stop you from sending one now. Check your states collecting SOL and take that into consideration... maybe you can find some way to check back on when exactly he was in the hospital. Your insurance company should be able to tell you the dates of service. If it was after April 2003, he also has some added protection under HIPAA, so search the boards on that.

If they validate...

I would have him write a complaint to the hospital's billing department explaining the situation and advising them that it was their error in omitting this from the insurance claim. I would also include the insurance carrier info and advise them that they can attempt to re-submit if they wish. I'd also explain that since this was not your error you would like verification that this has been removed from all collection agency activity including reporting to the credit bureaus.

The next step would depend on their response. Hopefully they will just drop it, but if not... it might be worth his while to PFD with OC at that point to put it behind him.

Re: Medical collection question

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:56:44 GMT

thanks for the reply! Unfortunately I did speak with the CA...it was before I found this board and I didn't know any better then. I only asked them for the date of service and OC info, if that matters.

So it isn't too late to DV, but I should do it with the OC? They are not reporting, just the CA...does that matter at all?

Thanks!

Re: Medical collection question

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:03:50 GMT

UPDATE--

I haven't done anything with this one yet except dispute with Experian online. Did it over 10 days ago and still shows as being investigated. Original date of service was Sept 2003. This was a "doctor" charge for an emergency room visit. Insurance was current at the time and the hospital bill was paid, so I don't know why the doctor bill is outstanding. this was a local hospital that was purchased this past year by a larger hospital group...does that have any bearing on this?? Should I still DV even though I called the CA months ago and since I disputed? Or should I PFD if it comes back verified?

Thanks!

Re: Medical collection question

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:54:36 GMT

When you go to the ER there are several kinds of charges that you can get from an ER visit. there is the hospital charge, the emergency physician charge, and the radiology charge. for some hospitals there are SEPARATE billing companies for EACH of these charges. you need to find out which of these companies is the OC that has you in collections (DV should help you get this info if you don't already have it). Is it the hospital? Is the the ER Physicians billing? Is it radiology?

next you need to find out what exactly the bill for the OC was and what HI paid/adjusted off. to do this you'll need to contact the OC (which could be the Hospital or the ER physicians, or the radiologists) and your health insurance company.

Ask the OC for a copy of the alleged bill showing the insurance payments. Ask the HI for a copy of the front and back of the check they sent to the hospital along with any billing records they may have for this visit.

see for yourself what you owe and to whom and go from there with PFD, or whatever fits your situation.

Re: Medical collection question

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 20:16:43 GMT

So if you are to offer a PFD are you to deal with the OC or the CA? I have a similar situation with a hospital but only for $468 also from 2003.

Re: Medical collection question

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 21:28:18 GMT

it really depends on who owns the debt. if you can settle this with the OC do that. dealing with the CA is an absolute last resort. if you have to deal with the CA make sure you have checked your states SOL etc. 2003 was 4 years ago. this debt may not be collectible. (collectible via the courts that is)

check the credit 101 and FAQ threads for more info on this.

Message Edited by dizzier on 01-02-2008 12:28 PM

Re: Medical collection question

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 21:40:41 GMT

One thing I'm curious about is whether or not that bill SHOULD have been covered by insurance. If so, then even 4 years later they should still pay it. I had a similar situation a few years ago. My son was bitten by a neighbor's dog and this resulted in a hospital visit. There were different bills for ER, Physician, etc. 3 years later I see a collection on my CR for one of those bills (got no letters ever). I called the insurance company and told them about it and they paid it right away stating that it was their error. I then called the CA (a small company here in town, not one of the nasty big ones thank goodness) and told them what was up. The insurance company sent them proof of payment and the report was gone... If it was a coverable expense then I think by law the IC is legally obligated to correct their error and cover it. Just a thought. Good luck!

Re: Medical collection question

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 21:42:14 GMT

I thought SOL only referred to when something gets wiped clean. Like if I had a parking ticket that was never reported to any CA's but after a certain period of time(SOL) it just disappears. Like in the case of this Hospital collection from 2003 after 7 years it should come off my CR if I don't do anything about it. Wouldn't that be the SOL where I'm no longer liable and it just comes off my report? All new to me so I'm just trying to find out everything I can including mastering all this new terminology.

Re: Medical collection question

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 21:46:05 GMT

Yeah I thought that it was to be covered by insurance as well and it just showed up on my CR. Luckily it on shows on 1 hence the my lowest score of 628. Wouldn't be suprised if a year or 2 later it shows on the other 2 as well. These 3 agencies need to get all their info straight.

Re: Medical collection question

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:29:08 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
One thing I'm curious about is whether or not that bill SHOULD have been covered by insurance. If so, then even 4 years later they should still pay it. I had a similar situation a few years ago. My son was bitten by a neighbor's dog and this resulted in a hospital visit. There were different bills for ER, Physician, etc. 3 years later I see a collection on my CR for one of those bills (got no letters ever). I called the insurance company and told them about it and they paid it right away stating that it was their error. I then called the CA (a small company here in town, not one of the nasty big ones thank goodness) and told them what was up. The insurance company sent them proof of payment and the report was gone... If it was a coverable expense then I think by law the IC is legally obligated to correct their error and cover it. Just a thought. Good luck!

this only applies if it was an error on the HI's part. If it was not their error, and the hospital just didn't submit the bill in time the HI can deny payment because it was not billed in a timely fashion (timely fashion is defined by the contract held between the hospital and the HI).

depending on state laws this money is still payable to the hospital even if it is their fault that they weren't paid. ultimately it is our responsibility to make sure that all of your medical bills are paid. If HI has not paid that bill in a timely fashion we must pay it and then try to get reimbursed through our HI.

Most people are not aware of this requirement and thus end up screwed.

Re: Medical collection question

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:38:31 GMT

Statute of Limitations (SOL) is a legal term. in this case the SOL determines the length of time you are legally liable to pay a debt. that means that at anytime within the SOL an OC or CA can file suit against you for payment of an outstanding debt. as long as the suit if filed before the SOL runs out then their suit is legally viable. If they file suit after the SOL has past then their suit is not legally viable (there are some exceptions to this but generally this is how it works).

your states SOL can vary, but many are around the 4 year mark. you will have to check to see what your state's SOLs for your debt.

this only means that after the SOL their legal claims to payment of a debt cannot be enforced through the courts. this has nothing to do with the 7 year drop off for CRs but can be a valuable tool for negotiating a settlement.

like i said read through the credit 101 and the FAQ thread for more detailed info and letters and etc. also do a search to find out how others have used SOL to their advantage in negotiations.

Re: Medical collection question

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:42:36 GMT

durhc97 wrote:

I thought SOL only referred to when something gets wiped clean. Like if I had a parking ticket that was never reported to any CA's but after a certain period of time(SOL) it just disappears. Like in the case of this Hospital collection from 2003 after 7 years it should come off my CR if I don't do anything about it. Wouldn't that be the SOL where I'm no longer liable and it just comes off my report? All new to me so I'm just trying to find out everything I can including mastering all this new terminology.

Hi,

You're confusing (a) the statute of limitations, which may give you a defense to a lawsuit which is filed too late and (b) the period of time after which negative info can't be reported on your credit reports. Two entirely different concepts. Check out this thread:

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/fico/board/message?board.id=generalcredit&thread.id=17466

Re: Medical collection question

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 00:17:47 GMT

dizzier wrote:

this only applies if it was an error on the HI's part. If it was not their error, and the hospital just didn't submit the bill in time the HI can deny payment because it was not billed in a timely fashion (timely fashion is defined by the contract held between the hospital and the HI).

depending on state laws this money is still payable to the hospital even if it is their fault that they weren't paid. ultimately it is our responsibility to make sure that all of your medical bills are paid. If HI has not paid that bill in a timely fashion we must pay it and then try to get reimbursed through our HI.

Most people are not aware of this requirement and thus end up screwed.

Interesting...I did not know that. In my case, it was supposed to be paid by insurance, and the hospital portion was submitted and paid.