A Collection Question

[Remedios]

Everything is negotiable but ..

You cannot recall than split. 

Recalling is taking ownership of the account (yes, there is a fee with some)

If you took the ownership back, what exactly are you paying them for? 

Common reasons for recalls are claims that weren't paid properly, reprocessed claims, retro qualification for Medicaid, improper balance billing,  etc. 

I have very little idea regarding dynamics between CAs and creditors who aren't medical providers. 

We have used same collection agency for a decade, they are local, and they remove their reporting upon payment.

During the first year account is in collections, they have to run settlement offers by us, but not after a year. 

We do not practice unethical medicine, and we do not conduct business with shady firms where "anything goes" 

[Remedios]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

That brings up another question. Is it legal for them to report a collection even after it's been paid? Especially if it's before you were even notified of your Dunning rights?

---

Yes, it would be legal because dunning notice has nothing to do with reporting. 

But let's stop scaring OP, because that's not going to happen here 

[Anonymous]

@curtis72120 yes if the worst happens I would definitely DV, just make sure you do it within 30 days. They have no incentive to even respond since it's paid.

@Anonymous Yes, That was my thought. But the more I read into everything that is being said I feel I should let things stand as they are. Meaning that the account is paid in full and I hope that all is done.. But it's good to learn the process to all of this.

[SouthJamaica]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

@Birdman7  & @Remedios..Thank you both for taking out the time to answer this for me. I am thinking that I should call the billing department and find out if this has been past on to a CA and if so if they are going to recall the account since it has been paid in full.. My hope is that it will never be reported. But it seems that since the payment was accepted by OC that the CRAs should delete it if for some reason it does get reported.. In any case the CA must contact me about the collection before it is reported. And when I request validation of the account, I can then show it is not accurate because it is a paid account.. Well thank you both again. You were a big help to me.

---

Personally I wouldn't approach anyone, I would just let it be.

Just because something was in collections doesn't mean it got reported to the credit bureaus.

[RobertEG]

CRA policy, as stated in the common credit reporting manual ("Credit Reporting Resource Guide"), is that a debt collector report deletion of a reported collection if the collection authority of the debt collector is terminated AND the debt remains unpaid.

Termination of assigned collection authority comprises what some refer to as "recall."

The CRAs established that policy to prevent multiple collections from reporting on the same debt, as termination of collection authority with the debt remaining unpaid permits sale or assignment of new collection authority to another debt collector.   If collection 1 were to remain, then two collections  would simultaneously report on the same debt, which the CRAs wish to prevent.

Payment of the debt while an assigned collection authority is in effect does not require a debt collector to delete their reporting collection.

Since there is no longer a active debt (payment of the debt itself terminates any active authority to pursue further collection on a debt), the act of paying terminates collection authority, and there is thus no subsequent termination ("recall") of an unpaid delinquent debt after it is paid.  Thus, the referenced CRA policy requiring deletion of a collection on an unpaid debt does not apply.

In fact, the CRA reporting manual specifically addresses that issue by explicitly stating that a debt collector should NOT delete a reported collection based on payment of the debt.

[Anonymous]

@curtis72120 wrote:

@Birdman7  & @Remedios..Thank you both for taking out the time to answer this for me. I am thinking that I should call the billing department and find out if this has been past on to a CA and if so if they are going to recall the account since it has been paid in full.. My hope is that it will never be reported. But it seems that since the payment was accepted by OC that the CRAs should delete it if for some reason it does get reported.. In any case the CA must contact me about the collection before it is reported. And when I request validation of the account, I can then show it is not accurate because it is a paid account.. Well thank you both again. You were a big help to me.

Personally I wouldn't approach anyone, I would just let it be.

Just because something was in collections doesn't mean it got reported to the credit bureaus.

@SouthJamaica @Anonymous @Remedios @Anonymous @RobertEG  Yes I agree. I think I will keep this closet door close and hope that I don't hear anything from it. I'm just glad that I happened upon this bill and was able to pay it before it became a real problem. This year has been stressful enough. I am really greatful to this community for all the advice and insight into my issue. Thank you ALL so very much.