HIPAA Dispute question

[RABQUE]

 I have two med collections, one for $75(Emergency room charges)  and another for $129 (Doctor charges, I think)  from Feb. 2006, I followed the first step of the Hipaa dispute process and the two of the CRA's stated that the debt had already been verified and refuse to investigate. Equifax verifed the debt. According to the process  should do the following:

 Scenario #2: If the CRA “verifies” your unpaid collection but the reporting CA did not provide a complete and accurate validation of the account, send this letter to the CA CMRRR.

MEDICAL DV LETTER TO THE CA

After you receive the green card from the Med DV letter, mail this follow-up dispute letter to the CRA CMRRR.

FOLLOW-UP DISPUTE LETTER (2) TO THE CRA'S

If I send a follow up dispute to the CRA wouldnt they refuse to investigate? Should i still send a follow up dispute?

Additionally, One of the Med collections is for $129 and according to somebody at the emergency room this could be the charges for the doctor. I have no idea how to get the doctors information without contacting the CA.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Only Paid collections have to be deleted!

 Scenario #1: If the CRA verifies your unpaid medical collection.

Send the OC letter with payment to the hospital using the Restrictive endorsement.

After they cash the check then use the followup dispute letter to all CRAs reporting.(use long hand to write this letter).

The hospital should know who the Doctor was and how to reach him. Is the CA reporting both as a hospital debt?

Did you get this info from a CR that you pulled direct from the CRAs?

[RABQUE]

This was for an emergency room visit.....So i should make the check payable with the restrictive endorsement to the emergency room for both charges?

 The CRA has the original lender as  Pineville Emergency Department

Should I send a check or money order?

Yes I received the information from a CR from the CRA......  the collection for $129 is on all three reports and the collection fro $75 is only on Experian.

Message Edited by RABQUE on 03-15-2009 08:43 AM

[Anonymous]

If both are reported as the ER then pay the hospital BUT use separate letters and checks!!! Be sure to use the restrictive endorsement and account # on each.(both can be mailed in the same envelope)

I know that most will say that you need a cashies's check but I believe that a personal check is just as good. A personal check can be used as proof of payment and  IRS will accept it.

[RABQUE]

So that I am clear,

I should send two separate payments and letters in one envelope...One for $129 and another for $75? Both made payable to Pineville Emergency dept?

As far as the account number should I use the account number provided by CA on my CR from the CRA?

[Anonymous]

Yes to both questions.

[RABQUE]

thanks!

[Anonymous]

Your very welcome!

[RABQUE]

I contacted the Emergency department regarding the collection for $129 and they stated that these were for physician chargers and referred me to the patient Financial services department. I spoke to them inquiring about their mailing address they stated that they are the third party billing service for the hospital. They told me to make the check payable to (Piedmont Emergency medical associates.  On my credit report the CA is listed as Absolute collection Services (ACS) and the original creditor is Pineville Emergency Department.  Now I am confused. I am hoping that I wasn’t speaking to the CA by mistake. I googled the CA and they have a different phone number than the one called however the address I received from patient  Financial Services is in the same city (Raleigh) as the CA. The OC is in Charlotte. Has anybody had an experience like this before? What should I do? 

[fused]

Has this been resolved?