Medical bill collections

Anonymous · ‎03-22-2008

Hello Im new to this forum and a newbie at fixing my credit. Just a fast question. I want to start paying off medical collections one at a time. So should I send a GW letter first asking if they will remove it from my credit report or do I ask if they will just report it as Paid on time so I can improve my credit?

nicemann · ‎03-22-2008

moodringgrl wrote:
Hello Im new to this forum and a newbie at fixing my credit. Just a fast question. I want to start paying off medical collections one at a time. So should I send a GW letter first asking if they will remove it from my credit report or do I ask if they will just report it as Paid on time so I can improve my credit?

No you are better off trying to do a "PFD". Goto the link below. It has a great example and discuss about it. A paid collection hurts your score just as much as one not paid.

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/fico/board/message?board.id=generalcredit&message.id=2659

Anonymous · ‎03-22-2008

What is the best way to go about it if you have like 6 seperate medical collections through the same collection company? I'm not able to pay them all at once. I would like to pay them down one or two at a time. So should I send a PFD for just the accounts I want to pay at the moment? And do I state in the PFD that I will be paying off the remaining accounts at a later time or just not mention them until I'm ready to send another PFD and the money to pay it?

Anonymous · ‎03-22-2008

bump...please

Anonymous · ‎03-22-2008

Moonringgirl:

I'm in the same position. I have six accounts with one collection agency (medical bills). I am going to try on Monday, calling the company & offering $400 up front, then a payment plan of $100/mo until it is all paid off, and ask for them to remove it from my credit reports while I'm paying it off. If I don't hold up my end by paying as I said I would, they can put it back on my credit and not accept any more payment plans or whatever they want *IF* they agree, I will ask them to send me that in writing, and in exchange I'll start paying.

I don't know if this will work or not, but I figure it's at least worth a shot. If they won't accept my first plan, I will start writing asking for PFDs for each account and start by paying off all the little ones first, and save the biggest one ($750) for last.

I *think* I have a good way to bargain -- I didn't ever pay the bills because I was on the run from an abusive ex, and didn't touch anything that could update my addresses or connect me to my old life in case he found me. Sucks because he was the one who put me in the hosp for those medical bills in the first place... I hope explaining this will help them soften up and be willing to work with me.

I will definitely let you know if it works. And, it's always worth a shot for you to try it, even if it doesn't work for me! It can't hurt to ask!!!

JUST REMEMBER... Even if they do agree to do it, GET IT IN WRITING BEFORE YOU COMMIT ANY $$ TO THEM!!! -ivyalmighty

Anonymous · ‎03-22-2008

But if you call them and they don't except the offer you are asking for can't they refresh the collection? Which will make it stay on your report longer?

Anonymous · ‎03-22-2008

I'm not exactly sure. I think I may start out my conversation with what I know about my credit report & how reporting works, and ask that they hear me out before they refresh anything or start re-reporting. I really have managed to catch a lot of flies with honey over my years of credit rehab. Before I even give them an account number, I'll just state that I have many accounts, they total XX dollars, I want to work out a plan, but I want it to affect my credit in the best way possible... my plan is blah blah, if they're interested, let me know and I"ll give you my account numbers so we can work on it.

ACTUALLY, on second thought, I think I will e-mail first! My e-mail address has my married name as my last name, so they won't be able to inq on my account that way. Then, if they respond positively to the e-mail, we'll take the next steps and I'll give them my acc't numbers. And, I'll also instantly have it in writing that they're willing to PFD on a payment plan or whatever.

That's my new plan. I'll tell you what happens as soon as I hear something, k?

fused · ‎03-22-2008

moodringgrl wrote:

But if you call them and they don't except the offer you are asking for can't they refresh the collection? Which will make it stay on your report longer?

NO WAY!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous · ‎03-22-2008

Fused,

Was that a sarcastic "NO WAY!!" like "you girls are so behind the FICO-train that it's almost funny" or was that a "NO WAY can they do that, it's totally illegal" NO WAY???

I can't tell...

fused · ‎03-22-2008

ivyalmighty wrote:

Fused,

Was that a sarcastic "NO WAY!!" like "you girls are so behind the FICO-train that it's almost funny" or was that a "NO WAY can they do that, it's totally illegal" NO WAY???

I can't tell...

Sorry...I meant there is no way this med collection (or any for that matter) can legally be re-aged and report more than 7 years from the default date. In this case, it cannot report more than 7 years from the DOS (date of service). Some states have no legal SOL on hospital related collections other states do. States that have SOLs for hospital collections, can have the legal SOL reset if a payment is made, but never the reporting SOL.