Need advice re: Medical CO from CA that violated FDCPA

[fused]

Wait for EQ and TU to complete their investigations before doing anything else. Is this a paid or unpaid collection? If unpaid, can you PIF? If paid, who did you pay and when? Has the CA sent you an accurate and complete validation of the debt since TU received your pre-HIPAA dispute letter?

[Anonymous]

Hi fused!

Debt is unpaid and I can PIF.  

To recap, UCI Med Ctr sent first bill 15 mos. after lab tests.  I requested an itemization of services.  Never received a response.  Did not know it had been turned over to a CA until I saw on credit report.  I disputed to all 3 CRAs on basis that CA violated FDCPA.  EX and TU responded that charge was verified and would remain.  I then sent pre-HIPAA letters to all 3 - per your advice.  EX has responded again that it is verified. 

I will await responses from TU and EQ and post when received.  

I have never heard or received ONE WORD from the CA regarding this matter.  I also filed a complaint with the FTC, but have had no response from them either.  

Meanwhile, I hurry up and wait :-) 

[Anonymous]

I have now received responses to my pre-HIPAA letters from all 3 CRAs. 

From EQ:  EQ verified that this item belongs to you.  If you have additional questions about this item please contact:  California Business Bureau (CA) with address listing

From TU:  Verified, no change

From EX:  We have already investigated this information and the credit grantor has verified its accuracy.  Please refer to the personal credit report you received for the name, phone # and address of the credit grantor who verified this information.  

I have still not had ANY response from the CA nor the FTC.  The provider, UCI Med Ctr, never responded to my request for an itemized statement.  Bill is still unpaid and I can PIF.  

Please advise as to the next letter I should send.  

I am grateful for your advice!  

[Anonymous]

bump

[Anonymous]

Bump2

[Anonymous]

Sorry to keep "bumping"!  I'm wondering if fused may be out of town...???? 

Does anyone else know if I should be sending a letter to CA or OC next??  

Thanks!!!

[Anonymous]

Who is reporting?   If not the OC  who how did you find out that the account was sold by the OC?     This may be important!!!

I can't answer you right now. Fused and I need to discuss this.

Message Edited by HappyDays on 11-01-2008 11:15 PM

[Anonymous]

Thanks for responding Happy Days! 

The CA is reporting the CO.  CA has NEVER contacted me regarding it - either by phone or mail.  If they had I would have informed them that the provider, UCI Medical Center, waited until 2/5/08 to bill me for services provided on 11/2/06. The bill was for several different blood tests; however it only stated “Laboratory and Clinical Services” in the bill description. I wrote to UCI and requested an itemization of each charge on 2/21/08. I never received a response. They apparently turned it over to a CA immediately after receiving my letter. The CA didn’t bother to contact me and just reported the account as a CO to all three CRAs. 

I sent pre-HIPAA letters to the CRAs and all three have responded that the debt was verified and told me to contact the CA for additional information.  

Bill is still unpaid and I can PIF - but I would still like an itemized statement and I would like to see that CA doesn't get away with violating the FDCPA.  

Please let me know the next letter that I should send.  

Thanks again for the invaluable advice!  

Message Edited by Georgifornia on 11-03-2008 11:54 AM

[Anonymous]

Dear Happy Days,

Don't mean to rush you..... but please let me know when you've had a chance to discuss my situation with fused.  I don't know if I should be sending a DV letter to the CA or OC since CA has never contacted me and the OC failed to respond to my initial request for an itemized statement. 

THANKS!!!

Message Edited by Georgifornia on 11-06-2008 02:46 PM

[fused]

For now let's just focus on the HIPAA process only and worry about FCRA and FACTA later. I assume you have not sent a DV to the CA?