Seven Year Old Medical Collection Popped Up On Credit Report This Week - UPDATE

[Anonymous]

Today I found a medical collection on my credit report. It states opened May 2013 and reported April 2019. I do not remember this debt however I was hospitalized 9 months in three hospitals in 2012 after an accident.   It seems odd that I have not heard anything about this collection until now. It will be 7 years next month.  I don't understand why it was reported right before the 7 years by a collection agency and no info was sent to me regarding the debt during the 7 years.

Any suggestions on how to handle this issue? Should I dispute it or contact the collection agency who reported it? What would be the reason to ask that it be removed? Would a debt validation request be appropriate?

Thanks.

UPDATE

Today I called my insurance company who had no record of a payment or denial to the company listed on the collection.  They needed to have the name of the provider, the date of service and the total amt they claim I owe.  I tried finding and contacting the original creditor listed on the collection and without an account number I couldn't get past the automated system.  So I had to go on and contact the collection agency who gave me all the info needed. While it still has not been determined that the bill was not paid in the settlement of medical accounts I do remember being taken to the medical facility by ambulance. This may have been a separate bill from another provider who reads x-rays. At any rate I told the collection agency rep that I would just send out a check and pay the bill.  

The interesting part is that she said by sending a check it will take three or four months to get it off my credit report and that I would be on my own getting it removed  but if I gave her the routing number and account number it would be removed within two days.  I told her I would get back to her. Of course I don't think I will be providing this info over the phone and not sending a check either as then they would have the routing and checking info.  So I am opting to send a US Postal money order. When it has been cashed I will ask the bureaus to remove the collection.  I am probably taking a chance that they might not remove it but I don't want to be forced into giving out checking info to get the CA to remove it.  Although very nice she was talking a little BS and I know it but just played along knowing that I will pay it with a money order. You would think as long as they got paid it should not matter how.

Thanks to all who responded and maybe this issue of giving out checking info on the phone to a CA is food for thought for further discussion. I call BS.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t bother. It’ll age off naturally next month, which is probably sooner than you would get results by trying to actively deal with it.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:
I wouldn’t bother. It’ll age off naturally next month, which is probably sooner than you would get results by trying to actively deal with it.

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I thought about this as well but it shows they reported it this month so I am hoping the seven years does not start now. It just seems suspect for them to report this the month before the 7 years. 

Thanks for your response.  I have worked very hard to clean up my reports and pay all medical debts owed so I am just freaked out as to where this came from.  Had I known about it I would have paid it seven years ago.

[simplegirl]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:
I wouldn’t bother. It’ll age off naturally next month, which is probably sooner than you would get results by trying to actively deal with it.

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I thought about this as well but it shows they reported it this month so I am hoping the seven years does not start now. It just seems suspect for them to report this the month before the 7 years. 

Thanks for your response.  I have worked very hard to clean up my reports and pay all medical debts owed so I am just freaked out as to where this came from.  Had I known about it I would have paid it seven years ago.

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I had a collection agency just show up last year but its still scheduled to fall off next year like its suppose to so I ignore it.

[Anonymous]

When it appears on your report has zero bearing on when it falls off. The only date that matters in that regard is DoFD, date of first delinquency. That’s the date that the Account fell behind and from which it never recovered, and it never changes.

In both your cases, for whatever reason the collectors only applied claims now but they still will fall away on the dates you’ve seen referenced.

[Anonymous]

Thanks all for the help.

I will wait till next month (since they used the May 2013 date) and if it does not fall off I will file a dispute using TU's category stating it should not be on my report.  

The quicker it gets off the better I will feel. This really bothers me.

[simplegirl]

Mine was because I disputed it because I have no knowledge of it which is why its only on 2 out of 3 of my reports.

[yougoglencoco]

Wouldn't May of 2013 mean it would fall off May of 2020?

[gdale6]

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@yougoglencoco wrote:
Wouldn't May of 2013 mean it would fall off May of 2020?

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That is just the date they began collection efforts and is not the DoFD, the DoFD is prior to this most likely by 6 months or more.

[Anonymous]

It's likely that the attorneys paid the medical bills for 2012 and the first part of 2013.  I need more info on the bill and dates of service (if any) to help figure out what the collection is all about.  I am reluctant to contact the CA directly.  Perhaps if I dispute it the CA will be forced to release information (if it does not violate HIPPA).  I by no means want to avoid paying a valid bill that I owe but this is kind of strange.  Maybe this CA just purchased or received the account.  With that in mind I still did not receive any notice from the original creditor or any CA regarding it until it showed up on my report this week. I realize that they are not obligated to send a bill or contact me but if they had and it was legitimate I would have paid it. But to wait six or seven years is ridiculous.