Medical Bills

[Anonymous]

I am writing in regards to a medical collection.  I am not sure how to go about validating that I owe this debt.   Should I just send a DV or should I contact the doctors office?   I am about 99% sure that I do not owe this debt.  The doctors office sent me to collection about 5+ years ago and I did not realize that it was not part of the medical bills for the birth of my oldest daughter (payed those through judgments)  but it was her doctor's office instead.  Please help should I DV the CA or should I contact the doctors office and have them send me proof of the bill with the charges?

1 of 2 collections left and assistants would be appreciated!

Thanks

Nancy (newjbw)

[Anonymous]

Yes, please do help.... This original post coulda been mine....

[Anonymous]

First you must know your SOL

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/cc/20040116b2.asp?caret=8

If it has been 5 years you might be close or past SOL...you do not want to be sued!!

IF past SOL   DV the CA!!!   never talk to them on the phone!!!!!

If not past SOL   be ready to pay

Have you disputed with the CRA yet?    also know SOL before you do.

let me know what your SOL is

[Anonymous]

Happy, would emails suffice?

[Anonymous]

I DV'd stuff that was not past SOL - but I can pay if I have to (total is $401 on 3 accounts) - not too worried about getting sued - pretty sure the 1 lost the records in a merger and the second still haven't heard from (I C systems for a medical bill), Verizon is a mess but I actually have a plan for them (and not a nice one).

Message Edited by Lady_Scarlet on 10-02-2007 07:22 PM

[rizeninme]

Lady_Scarlet, Doctors are required by law to keep medical records for seven years, so there really is no such thing as "records lost in merger". If a doctor joins or leaves a group, they are required to have a records custodian that is responsible for maintaining the records, so be sure, the records are there. With that being said, if you are not sure if you owe, by all means DV, but then offer to PFD and offer them a percentage- most doctor's will settle for 75% of the original debt without a problem, and delete it from your credit file. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

No, the lost record was a cell phone bill.  Nextel to Sprint and moved service to Verizon about 3 months after the merger.

The doc I am not worried about but appreciate the 75% suggestion which I will do if IC Systems validates (this is day 15 of the 30 from receipt)

The Verizon bill I am disputing is when I migrated the landline to Comcast.

Message Edited by Lady_Scarlet on 10-02-2007 08:07 PM

[haulingthescoreup]

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rizeninme wrote: Lady_Scarlet, Doctors are required by law to keep medical records for seven years, so there really is no such thing as "records lost in merger". If a doctor joins or leaves a group, they are required to have a records custodian that is responsible for maintaining the records, so be sure, the records are there. With that being said, if you are not sure if you owe, by all means DV, but then offer to PFD and offer them a percentage- most doctor's will settle for 75% of the original debt without a problem, and delete it from your credit file. Good luck!

---

Actually, providers (including hospitals) are required to keep your health records for seven years (until age 21 for minors), but the business records, including billing, are not part of that record. So they may be "findable", or not.

[Anonymous]

newjbw    what state are you in?  it is better to know before doing anything. The SOL is within the time when you can be sued.

[Anonymous]

Im not sure....I know that I like a nice hard copy so that it is easy NOT to lose, should I need it in court.

Some judges don't even know what email is.  With CMRRR  you know the date that they receive it & who signed for it....you don't get that with email!