topic Re: Medical Collections Issue in Rebuilding Your Credit

Medical Collections Issue

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 00:29:40 GMT

Hi folks,

I'm a long time lurker, first time poster. I have an issue with a medical collection and I'm hoping for some advice on what I should do. I've used the search function and can't find anything that applies to my situation. Sorry for the long post, but I think it's necessary to get an understanding of the situation. Please note I am not trying to get out of paying a debt I owe, but I believe I owe only part of it.

In January 2014, I visited an emergency room in Georgia. When I saw the doctor, he wanted to try a treatment that he said might make the problem worse, and it did indeed get worse. Other treatments and tests were ordered after that, the problem was solved, and I left the emergency room. After the insurance paid and my bill arrived, I called the hospital billing department several times and couldn't get any of my calls returned. The point of these calls was to argue that since my condition worsened after the first treatment, I shouldn't be responsible for the full cost of everything the doctor did. After no payment and no calls returned, the account was sent to a collection agency (West Asset Management) in October 2014 (I believe it was assigned, not sold). I sent this collection agency a DV letter, which went unanswered.

In June 2015, I called the hospital billing department and asked about 2 charges on the bill. Those charges each had a procedure code. When I asked about the code, the person I spoke to thought they were CPT codes, but wasn't sure. One charge I asked about I was told applied to a heart stent, but I had visited the hospital for a respiratory issue.

In July 2015, I disputed the collection with the credit bureaus and the collection was removed from my report. At that time, the collection agency sent me a letter saying that the collection had been removed, but also sending a copy of the financial responsibility statement I signed at the hospital. In October 2015, the collection was placed back on my report, this time by another collection agency (Medical Data Systems) and remains on my report. I sent a DV letter to the agency, which responded by saying the debt is valid. I also disputed the collection with the credit bureaus, explaining that the account had been removed by the first agency and had simply been shuffled around. I also included a copy of the letter from the first collection agency. The result of the dispute was the collection account remaining on my report. The amount of the collection is about $1,200 and is the same as the amount due on my last bill from the hospital.

My question now is, what are my next steps? I've considered writing to the hospital, citing both the error of the doctor in making my condition worse and the confusion in the billing department when I called with questions. Any other options you can suggest that I haven't listed would be extremely helpful.

In case it's relevant, I had surgery at the same hospital in 2010. Several accounts were sent to collections, including one with Medical Data Systems, which holds the account I'm asking about. The 2010 account was paid in full and is still on my credit report. The hospital is in Georgia, I lived in Georgia at the time of the hospital visit, and I now live in Texas.

Thanks in advance for reading my long post and taking the time to answer my question. I hope to be just as helpful on this board in the future.

Re: Medical Collections Issue

gdale6 — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 01:09:13 GMT

You need to first resolve the billing errors with the OC then

For unpaid medical debt that is reporting on your CR:

1. Call the OC and see if you qualify for Charity Care
2. If not then ask that they recall the collection in exchange for full payment
3. Send the reporting CA a PFD offer
4. Google the HIPAA Process and contact its creator for help

Re: Medical Collections Issue

Imperfectfuture — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 04:35:08 GMT

@gdale6 wrote:
You need to first resolve the billing errors with the OC then

For unpaid medical debt that is reporting on your CR:

1. Call the OC and see if you qualify for Charity Care
2. If not then ask that they recall the collection in exchange for full payment
3. Send the reporting CA a PFD offer
4. Google the HIPAA Process and contact its creator for help

Brief macro to the rescue.

Re: Medical Collections Issue

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 22:18:58 GMT

Before you do anything google the HIPAA Letter process follow it exactly as laid out. If you have any problems finding the website or have questions PM me.

Re: Medical Collections Issue

Anonymous — Sun, 10 Jan 2016 17:37:49 GMT

What's the best way to go about getting the billing error resolved? It's not a case of being charged for a service I didn't get or being overcharged. I've been charged for the initial treatment, which made the problem worse, and also the treatment that actually fixed the problem. I'm not sure whether I should have to pay for only the initial treatment or the treatment that actually worked, but it's my feeling that I'm not required to pay all of it because part of it was the doctor's error.

Re: Medical Collections Issue

RobertEG — Sun, 10 Jan 2016 18:11:47 GMT

Did you receive an actual Notice of Results of Reinvestigation when the collection was first disputed, indicating that it was being deleted by the CRA as their finding in the dispute, or did the debt collector simply report voluntary deletion?

The relevance is that if a deletion comes about as a result of a finding in a dispute, then there are specific reinsertion requirments that come into play under the FCRA that apply to any party requesting resinsertion. In a nutshell, they must submit a pre-certification of accuracy to the CRA, and if the CRA accepts the pre-certification, they must send writtne notice to the consumer. The issue is whehter that provision applies, and if so, did the CRA send you notice of the reinserrtion based on thier receipt of a pre-certification?

Re: Medical Collections Issue

gdale6 — Sun, 10 Jan 2016 18:53:38 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
What's the best way to go about getting the billing error resolved? It's not a case of being charged for a service I didn't get or being overcharged. I've been charged for the initial treatment, which made the problem worse, and also the treatment that actually fixed the problem. I'm not sure whether I should have to pay for only the initial treatment or the treatment that actually worked, but it's my feeling that I'm not required to pay all of it because part of it was the doctor's error.

You need to discuss this with the docs office. Medical science isnt absolute if one visit doesnt resolve the problem and a second is required that doesnt necessarily mean you dont have to pay for the first.

Re: Medical Collections Issue

Anonymous — Sun, 10 Jan 2016 19:13:06 GMT

@gdale6 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
What's the best way to go about getting the billing error resolved? It's not a case of being charged for a service I didn't get or being overcharged. I've been charged for the initial treatment, which made the problem worse, and also the treatment that actually fixed the problem. I'm not sure whether I should have to pay for only the initial treatment or the treatment that actually worked, but it's my feeling that I'm not required to pay all of it because part of it was the doctor's error.
You need to discuss this with the docs office. Medical science isnt absolute if one visit doesnt resolve the problem and a second is required that doesnt necessarily mean you dont have to pay for the first.

This all happened during one visit to the emergency room. Before the first treatment, the doctor said it might make the problem worse, and it did get worse. My point is that a treatment that makes my problem worse, rather than having no effect or making it better, is something I shouldn't be responsible for.

Re: Medical Collections Issue

Anonymous — Sun, 10 Jan 2016 19:23:37 GMT

@RobertEG wrote:
Did you receive an actual Notice of Results of Reinvestigation when the collection was first disputed, indicating that it was being deleted by the CRA as their finding in the dispute, or did the debt collector simply report voluntary deletion?

The relevance is that if a deletion comes about as a result of a finding in a dispute, then there are specific reinsertion requirments that come into play under the FCRA that apply to any party requesting resinsertion. In a nutshell, they must submit a pre-certification of accuracy to the CRA, and if the CRA accepts the pre-certification, they must send writtne notice to the consumer. The issue is whehter that provision applies, and if so, did the CRA send you notice of the reinserrtion based on thier receipt of a pre-certification?

After my dispute, I got a notice from the CRA saying that the collection was removed as a result of the dispute. I also got from the first collection agency, West Asset Management, a letter saying the collection has been removed. The letter showed 3 options, 2 of which were checked. "West Asset Management has determined that your disptute is valid and has provided the credit reporting agencies with the corrected information," and "West Asset Management has determined that your account was reported to the credit reporting agencies in error and has requested that the credit reporting agencies delete the account from your credit file" were both checked on the letter. The other option, unchecked, was "West Asset Management's client, (hospital), is unable to provide the account verification you requested. Therefore, West Asset management has closed the account, returned it to (hospital), and requested that the credit reporting agencies delete the account from your credit file." Attached to this letter was a copy of the last bill and a copy of the financial responsibility agreement I signed at the time of my visit, showing my signature.

Edit: The CRA did not send me any notice of reinsertion, nor did either of the collection agencies. The first knowledge I had of the reinsertion was when I applied for credit, was denied, and was told about the collection on my report.

Re: Medical Collections Issue

Imperfectfuture — Mon, 11 Jan 2016 03:32:20 GMT

As much as you THINK you do not have to pay for it, take it for someone being treated with a neurological movement disorder since 1984. I often got experimental treatments, and medication that crippled my eyesight. Guess what, I still had to pay.

In a hospital for cdiff, they did not know what they were dealing with until too late, mistakes made, still had to pay.

Now, check if you qualify for charity care. It's national, and can be backdated due to new rules with Obama care. Google charity care, your state's name. Research. Try to be polite. Did you not have insurance at the time? I do not leave home without it.

You may feel wronged, but you are still billed. If you can make no headway with the hospital administration, Google whychat hippa process. Charity care is one of the steps.

Re: Medical Collections Issue

Imperfectfuture — Mon, 11 Jan 2016 03:35:43 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@RobertEG wrote:
Did you receive an actual Notice of Results of Reinvestigation when the collection was first disputed, indicating that it was being deleted by the CRA as their finding in the dispute, or did the debt collector simply report voluntary deletion?

The relevance is that if a deletion comes about as a result of a finding in a dispute, then there are specific reinsertion requirments that come into play under the FCRA that apply to any party requesting resinsertion. In a nutshell, they must submit a pre-certification of accuracy to the CRA, and if the CRA accepts the pre-certification, they must send writtne notice to the consumer. The issue is whehter that provision applies, and if so, did the CRA send you notice of the reinserrtion based on thier receipt of a pre-certification?
After my dispute, I got a notice from the CRA saying that the collection was removed as a result of the dispute. I also got from the first collection agency, West Asset Management, a letter saying the collection has been removed. The letter showed 3 options, 2 of which were checked. "West Asset Management has determined that your disptute is valid and has provided the credit reporting agencies with the corrected information," and "West Asset Management has determined that your account was reported to the credit reporting agencies in error and has requested that the credit reporting agencies delete the account from your credit file" were both checked on the letter. The other option, unchecked, was "West Asset Management's client, (hospital), is unable to provide the account verification you requested. Therefore, West Asset management has closed the account, returned it to (hospital), and requested that the credit reporting agencies delete the account from your credit file." Attached to this letter was a copy of the last bill and a copy of the financial responsibility agreement I signed at the time of my visit, showing my signature.

Edit: The CRA did not send me any notice of reinsertion, nor did either of the collection agencies. The first knowledge I had of the reinsertion was when I applied for credit, was denied, and was told about the collection on my report.

In this instance, I would notify the credit bureaus with the letters. Scan, or take photos, and upload with re dispute. If not successful, take to BBB for each credit bureau, and provide the documentation.