When I went to clean up reports, the items have already done damage. With medical collections, I researched the state laws due to multiple debts with one agency, charity care, and PFD's.
Many small medical collectors don't want to pay to remove. It costs them money to list, and it costs them money to take down, which eats into their profits. Keep hammering at supervisors, etc. some will allow delete if pay off all debt. Some will pull the debt before you pay it off, and some will generate a letter to remove from credit report for a fee.
My last collections ended up not being owed, so they made no money. They told me to dispute as not owed, and they would not contest. They did as promised (kinda a you scratch my back, I scratch yours deal). I have never been disappointed using direct communications with collections AND the original creditor.
However, if all else fails, I DON'T pay unless delete. Small medical collections are even ignored by Amex, Chase and mortgage companies. They either delete, or no money.
Just my approach (you can see from my signature how well it worked).
Many small medical collectors don't want to pay to remove. It costs them money to list, and it costs them money to take down, which eats into their profits. Keep hammering at supervisors, etc. some will allow delete if pay off all debt. Some will pull the debt before you pay it off, and some will generate a letter to remove from credit report for a fee.
My last collections ended up not being owed, so they made no money. They told me to dispute as not owed, and they would not contest. They did as promised (kinda a you scratch my back, I scratch yours deal). I have never been disappointed using direct communications with collections AND the original creditor.
However, if all else fails, I DON'T pay unless delete. Small medical collections are even ignored by Amex, Chase and mortgage companies. They either delete, or no money.
Just my approach (you can see from my signature how well it worked).
@Anonymous wrote:$0 balance medical debts are ignored by the new FICO scoring models. If paid, even if they are still there, her FICO score should go up (how much is a mystery). Considering that, it is a benefit to pay the debt as far as newer FICO scores are concerned. The existence of a collection can still affect older scoring models, such as those used by mortgage lenders, but I've been told that when reports are manually reviewed paid medical debts are often overlooked because of how ridiculous they can be.
If they won't do PFD, you can pay it then begin a GW campaign to both the collection agency and the providers's billing department. Medical debt collectors report to CRAs under the direction of medical providers, and a doctor/hospital may be more inclined to extend goodwill for a paid balance.
Hint, no one is using the new fico scoring model.