settlement with dr office????

[Anonymous]

I have a doctors office bill for $388 that was sent to a collection office.  I was thinking about settling with them for about $100 (in several payments).  Is that a reasonable offer?  I want to try and take care of it so it doesn't go on my credit report.

Any help is appreciated....................

[PixieQueen80]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I have a doctors office bill for $388 that was sent to a collection office.  I was thinking about settling with them for about $100 (in several payments).  Is that a reasonable offer?  I want to try and take care of it so it doesn't go on my credit report.

Any help is appreciated....................

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I would not offer less than half ($150.00) and asking for it in payments might not work.  Usually when they do payments it is for the full amount. 

[mauve]

Call the doctor's office and ask them how you can deal with this.  A lot of medical entities have some leeway about charges - for instance, my dentist office charges half price for a fluoride treatment if your insurance won't cover it.  If you don't have insurance at all, sometimes they'll charge you a lower price to pay them directly.  It doesn't hurt to ask if there is assistance of some sort available. 

[MBOhio2]

I agree with both above posters.

First call the Dr's office - typically they are very willing to work with patients on fees not covered by insurance.

If they won;t do anything to work with you, you're probably better off waiting a few months, saving up a large chunk (at least 60%) and then making a settlement offer so you're more prepared to pay. Then, if they demand the full amount, you're not too far off and can pay it soon after your settlement offer to them.

[mauve]

I would not wait at all.  The CA hasn't posted yet.  If you can still pay the OC, I'd do that.  I'd also ask the OC if they would work with me on payments and the total.  Medical is a different animal than non-medical.  They're typically more reasonable, and will frequently do payment plans at 0% interest, and sometimes they will drop the balance.