Can This Collection Be Reported?

[EW800]

Hello!  

As my profile shows, I have very strong credit scores and after going through ugly times more than a decade ago, now take debt, credit and credit reporting very seriously.  

I received a letter yesterday from Westside Recovery Services, attempting to collect a $40 debt, that they say was owed to a business that sounds like a dermatology or pathology business.  I do see a dermatologist and have to have biopsies done from time to time, so if I had to guess maybe it is related to one of those.  I have never received a bill for this, however I am guessing that it is possible or even likely that I owe it based on the type of business.    

I am going to pay the $40, however I just want to confirm that under new laws, this medical debt cannot be reported to the credit bureaus?  

Thanks!  

[Lou-natic]

You need to make sure to confirm the debt before you just start paying it. There are scammers that do this kind of thing just to scare people into paying, usually small amounts to make it easy for people to just pay up instead of going through the hassle to prove it's real or not. Never, ever pay for anything without a bill. I had a collections agency contact me for a medical debt and was demanding money and that debt was already part of a payment plan that I was being billed monthly for...Needless to say dude on the phone wasn't getting anything from me that day. Make sure they can confirm the debt.

[Brian_Earl_Spilner]

I would think your dermatologist would have brought it to your attention since you go frequently enough. Maybe ask them about it and ask for them to recall it if legitimate just to reduce chance of it being reported erroneously. 

[Remedios]

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@EW800 wrote:

Hello!  

As my profile shows, I have very strong credit scores and after going through ugly times more than a decade ago, now take debt, credit and credit reporting very seriously.  

I received a letter yesterday from Westside Recovery Services, attempting to collect a $40 debt, that they say was owed to a business that sounds like a dermatology or pathology business.  I do see a dermatologist and have to have biopsies done from time to time, so if I had to guess maybe it is related to one of those.  I have never received a bill for this, however I am guessing that it is possible or even likely that I owe it based on the type of business.    

I am going to pay the $40, however I just want to confirm that under new laws, this medical debt cannot be reported to the credit bureaus?  

Thanks!  

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I believe it can report until July when joint agreement between CRAs starts which would prevent  reporting any collection under $500.00 

Also, you have a whole year before it can report. Medical collection typically becomes past due about 3-4 weeks from statement date and it can be sent to collections. So, if your date of service is less than a year, it probably won't report.

I'd check with provider to see what the bill is for, ask them to recall collection and pay provider directly.