This looks like verification of a debt.... ? HELP

Anonymous · ‎05-04-2009

This is the second time it did not post what I have written!! GGrrrrrr

Ok - I opted out (both, verfied address with CRA, and wrote pre-hipaa letters (a total of 16 letters for 6 different collection items on the three reports - one report had only 4 of the 6). Today I received a letter from Firstsource (CA) that does not reference my dispute in any way. The letter offers a settlement of my account with a hospital (50% of the total they show owing). This pertains to 2 seperate collection items on each of two of my reports.

The back of the letter lists my name and the hospital, a "client number" for each item, a service date of 8/1/07 for one and 8/3/07 for the other, and the balances. Just to give you some history. The hospital sent me a bill for the surgery co-pay at the time, but I was never billed by the hospital for the therapy charges. I assume the 8/1/07 charge is for the surgery, as the date is correct. I don't remember what the charges were at the time - only that I could not afford to pay them. I assume the 8/3/07 is for the therapy - but I cannot be sure as the letter from the CA does not list a service for either.

I looked up my claims on my insurers website, and found only one claim paid to the hospital. The dates of service on the EOB are 8/3/07-8/15/07 - which I believe would be consistant with the therapy service dates. The EOB states that I am responsible for $349.77. The balance due for the 8/3/07 service date per the CA is $309.77. I vaguely remember paying a $40 specialist co-pay at the first therapy appointment (vaguely as I was in great pain) - so this sort of makes sense to me.

So - is this proper validation of the debt? What is my next step under hipaa to assure that I can get this removed from my reports when paid?

THANKS!

Message Edited by txbradybunch on 05-04-2009 02:02 PM

fused · ‎05-04-2009

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Anonymous · ‎05-05-2009

BUMP - next steps help please?

Anonymous · ‎05-05-2009

Please add this to the questions above.....

After digging back through stacks of old medical records and pulling EOB's from the insurer at the time (09/2007) I have been able to tie out the balance shown on the statement received from the CA with the balances shown by my insurer to be my responsibility. So even though the hospital didn't bill me for one of the services before forwarding to collections...... I get what the balances are now and agree that they are my responsibility. (Step one to validating in my little head) :-)

So - as far as Hipaa is concerned, and being able to get the collections removed from the credit report.......

(1) Is what they sent proper validation of the debt under Hipaa? and

(2) It is my understanding that Hipaa only covers PIF accounts - however, this CA did offer to settle for 50% in the letter I received. Is there any harm to my process if I use the PFD letter I found on myfico and reference their offer to settle and my desire to resolve and delete the item without admitting liability and see if they will agree to delete in exchange for paying their settlement offer? If they refuse to delete for the settlement amount (and I have not admitted liability) couldn't I then still PIF to the OC and finish the Hipaa process?

I don't want to harm the process - but isn't trying the PFD at least worth the chance that I can acheive my goal of resolving this issue once and for all - while saving 50%? Hope this makes sense.

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ADVICE.....

fused · ‎05-05-2009

Since the CA did properly validate the debt, you should go ahead with Scenario #1 and use insert "A". I don't like PFDs with med collections. If anything were to go wrong, you will lose your protection under HIPAA. PFDs are contracts, the contract will override HIPAA. The other danger is if you settle and the CA agrees to delete, who knows what might happen to the "unpaid" portion of the debt even though it was agreed nothing more was owed. I can't tell you how many time another CA or JDB will report a new collection for that remaining amount. Its ridiculous!

What about the other collections? You say you have six of them.

Anonymous · ‎05-06-2009

This "validation" is two of the collections that are on two of my reports (and the two missing on the third report). So getting this one (two) taken care of gets rid of 4 of the 16. 25% - not bad.

Does it make any difference that their letter didn't make any reference to my dispute?

I signed up for the service you suggested where I can make daily credit report pulls - and only on CRA is reporting any diputes - and not even all of them yet.

Should I wait a bit longer..... or go ahead and move forward with this per your comment to use scenario #1?

fused · ‎05-06-2009

Wait for all of the CRAs to finish their investigations on all of your disputes.