Next Steps? Medical Collection - OC will not PFD

[Anonymous]

I have a $740 medical collection with a local CA.  They will not PFD per company policy.  I have the ability to pay the collection in full.  Debt is over 180 days delinquent.  I have received very limited communication from them.  My first time discussing with a human was today requesting PFD.  (I have called and left messages - never a returned call - and/or been placed on endless hold)  Fairly confident OC will recall if I ask.  I've never had the debt validated, and frankly I'm not even sure how to go about it or if this is still a possibility.  This is a small CA and from what little info I have seen, they are apparently not well staffed and have failed to validate others in the past.  

What is recommended to get the best score improvement short-term - in next 2-3 months?  I'm leaning toward validation and possibly get it recalled and PIF.  I have no problem with a PIF.  Thoughts?

[Fx6cowboy]

Sorry to hear of these troubles. I’m no credit repair expert but I don’t know that medical debt can be the easiest to have removed from your credit report. (Not saying this is your only course of action though.) But is this debt even valid? If it were me, I would try to see if the collection company is bonded to even collect on this debt to begin with in my home state. How did they validate the debt, are they discussing your medical information to you about yourself? 

HIPAA laws are available for research regarding medical debts, and how it can be collected. I think you can look up some ways to get it removed if they don’t want to play ball with your PFD requests. Good luck!

[Girlzilla88]

When you had them on the phone did they tell you that their policy is they won't do a PFD if so you can google the president's email and email him/her directly and offer the PIF to have it removed.      Hospital CA just don't like to but they will you just have to be smart about it since you tried being polite with someone on the phone I would definitely include that in your email to the president of the company and not in a rude way just let them know you did attempt to PIF in attempt to delete the account BEFORE reaching out to him/her.    Typically they will either give you a call back or email you back and if they do call and you do it over the phone ASK FOR A CONFIRMATION EMAIL stating it will be removed from ALL 3 CB within X amount of days AFTER RECEIPT of payment!!!      If it is through email you can email them and ask them to please remove from ALL 3 CB within X amount of days after receipt of payment because then you have a paper trail and if it's not removed within that time frame you can hire someone to dispute it and have it taken off at that point     Good Luck 

[radfam]

If you haven't already, google the HIPAA process + Whychat.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies.  The CA did in fact say it was company policy to refuse PFDs.  Still recommend I go that route with upper management/CEO?

My research indicates that my state (GA) does not require licensure/bonding.

As for HIPAA process, I had total forgotten about that when I had originally posted.  I know exactly what you are referring to.  Still wondering, though, whether getting OC to recall for subsequent PIF to CA would ensure that the CA is removed from my reports.  I've read posts indicating removal of collection is a requirement of the agreement that CA's have with CRAs to ensure that one debt is not simultaneously reported by 2 or more CAs, as could happen when collection authority is terminated by OC and placed with a subsequent CA.  However, the fact that its not a FCRA requirement worries me some.  

[Girlzilla88]

Yes I would because it may change things faster for you rather than wait just be short to the point and as nice as possible and say you are sorry (if it is legit) and you will do better in the future to let them know you aren't planning on always just deleting off or haggling every time etc...

[Anonymous]

Definitely talk with the OC and try to have the debt brought back in-house and the collection authority of the CA terminated. If it is terminated, the CA is required to delete themselves from your reports. The key is to not pay until the debt is back in the hands of the OC and the CA cannot any longer attempt to collect. Only when this is done do you pay. If you pay beforehand, they are under no obligation to delete themselves from your reports.

[Anonymous]

Perfect.  Will update with significant developments.  Thanks.