Keeping Medical Bill out of Collections

[Anonymous]

I have recently been hit with a $22,000  medical bill from a hospital that I received after a job loss that caused me to lose health insurance and then a medical emergency that required surgery before becoming eligble for benefits at my new job. I've been working hard at rebuilding my credit and right now the only thing on my credit is medical bills which have killed my score putting me at 580. I have 11 accounts still derogatory-all medical. I am still paying those off one at at time and I have managed to bring my score up about 75 points in the last six months. I called to try to arrange a payment plan with the hospital and the woman laughed at me and said "if you dont pay this in full within 3 years we will send it to collections." There is no way I can pay that off in 3 years. 

Some people have told me that if I send them a payment every couple weeks that they can't send it to collections. Is that true? I REALLY dont want to have to file bankruptcy. I'm trying to rebuild to buy a house in a couple years and a bankrupcty is the opposite of why I have put all this work into building my credit back up which was orignally ruined by fraud, then medical bills, and now I'm faced with this unreachable task. I don't know what to do at this point. 

[RobertEG]

The creditor can send to collections at any time of their choosing.

No, sending partial payment will not prevent their hiring of a debt collector to assist them in their collection on the debt.

I would suggest that you make another call to someone higher up in their management chain who has the authority to grant you an excpetion to whatever normal no payment plan policy that may be directed upon the person you spoke with. 

Your attempt to repay to your ability is commendable, and may be accepted by one with a bit more business sense.

[Anonymous]

If you were unemployed at the time contact the hospital and see if you qualify for charity care.

[RonM21]

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@RobertEG wrote:

The creditor can send to collections at any time of their choosing.

No, sending partial payment will not prevent their hiring of a debt collector to assist them in their collection on the debt.

I would suggest that you make another call to someone higher up in their management chain who has the authority to grant you an excpetion to whatever normal no payment plan policy that may be directed upon the person you spoke with. 

Your attempt to repay to your ability is commendable, and may be accepted by one with a bit more business sense.

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+1

Fully agree with this. Well stated.

[Anonymous]

That's what I'll do. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately I was employed at the time but I had just started and didn't qualify for insurance yet through the employer.