Hi spain246, and welcome to the forum! There's a wealth of information here, and many knowledgeable people to help you get credit healthy. 
The answer is.....NO! Do NOT call the collection agency! When you need to correspond with them ONLY do it in writing. Do NOT commit to anything until you totally and perfectly understand your position.
Let me repost a reply I made yesterday in regards to a med collection. Please bear with me:..........................
I was successful in getting 3 med collections removed from my CR's back in October, 2007 by negotiating with the hospital(it was for 3 ER visits for my daughter).
This worked for me, and here's my story. Please bear with me:
In September I pulled all 3 CR's from freecreditreport.com. They showed 3 med collections. I called the CA(yes this is a no no...I know that now), and after looking up my account, I told them that I would pay in full IF and ONLY IF they would delete the entire entry from my CR. They said they'd gladly accept my pif, and would mark the account as PAID. I said not good enough. I don't want it marked PAID, I want it deleted. They told me the only way that can happen is if the hospital instructs them to do so. I said fine and hung up.
I THEN called the hospital, and after 5 minutes of looking up my account, they told me what I owed. I said I would pay in full with a cashier's check, and hand deliver it to them tomorrow, IF and ONLY IF they will instruct the CA to delete the entire entry from my CR.
The CSR who I talked to said she'd have to talk to head of her department at the hospital. I said fine. Call me tomorrow with your answer. She did. YAY! I then said, as a further condition of paying in full IMMEDIATELY, I would like an original duplicate, on hospital letterhead, the letter of instructions to the CA instructing them to delete the entire record from my CR. She agreed.
The next day I took a cashiers check to the hospital, and asked for the letter(for review). She gave it to me...it looked perfect....I then handed my cashier's check to the CSR.
2 weeks later I received a letter from the CA notifying me they have deleted the files from my CR's. The next time I pulled my CR's they were all gone.
Sorry to be so long winded. But hope that helps.
The answer is.....NO! Do NOT call the collection agency! When you need to correspond with them ONLY do it in writing. Do NOT commit to anything until you totally and perfectly understand your position.
Let me repost a reply I made yesterday in regards to a med collection. Please bear with me:..........................
I was successful in getting 3 med collections removed from my CR's back in October, 2007 by negotiating with the hospital(it was for 3 ER visits for my daughter).
This worked for me, and here's my story. Please bear with me:
In September I pulled all 3 CR's from freecreditreport.com. They showed 3 med collections. I called the CA(yes this is a no no...I know that now), and after looking up my account, I told them that I would pay in full IF and ONLY IF they would delete the entire entry from my CR. They said they'd gladly accept my pif, and would mark the account as PAID. I said not good enough. I don't want it marked PAID, I want it deleted. They told me the only way that can happen is if the hospital instructs them to do so. I said fine and hung up.
I THEN called the hospital, and after 5 minutes of looking up my account, they told me what I owed. I said I would pay in full with a cashier's check, and hand deliver it to them tomorrow, IF and ONLY IF they will instruct the CA to delete the entire entry from my CR.
The CSR who I talked to said she'd have to talk to head of her department at the hospital. I said fine. Call me tomorrow with your answer. She did. YAY! I then said, as a further condition of paying in full IMMEDIATELY, I would like an original duplicate, on hospital letterhead, the letter of instructions to the CA instructing them to delete the entire record from my CR. She agreed.
The next day I took a cashiers check to the hospital, and asked for the letter(for review). She gave it to me...it looked perfect....I then handed my cashier's check to the CSR.
2 weeks later I received a letter from the CA notifying me they have deleted the files from my CR's. The next time I pulled my CR's they were all gone.
Sorry to be so long winded. But hope that helps.
Welcome!