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Message
$110 medical bill in collections: pay or fight?
Posted on 2/15/24 at 8:47 am
Posted on 2/15/24 at 8:47 am
Received a call yesterday about a medical bill from 2022 for $110 that’s been put into collections. My credit lives in the 775-825 range, I’ve never missed a bill (except this one apparently), have had 4 kids at this hospital in the past decade, never missed a payment, and get this call out of the blue. I have no record of receiving it or being contacted about it. I called the hospital and asked to pay it with them and they said since it’s in collections, there’s nothing they can do.
Needless to say, this is frustrating. Should I just pay it out or fight and ask for all records and contacts?
In before: “pay your bills, deadbeat”
Needless to say, this is frustrating. Should I just pay it out or fight and ask for all records and contacts?
In before: “pay your bills, deadbeat”
14
Posted on 2/15/24 at 8:58 am to poochie
quote:
My credit lives in the 775-825 range
While important, creditors don't just see the # and stop looking; they will see a non-payment and that could have an impact on what they're willing to lend/offer.
When you called the hospital were they able to give you any information about what the charge was for? Have you reached out to the credit agency to discuss the charges? Tell them you are ready to pay but want to make sure you hadn't already paid the bill or that the charges are appropriate. If they push for payment first, ask them what their refund policy is if you make the payment, then find out that this was not a valid charge.
Posted on 2/15/24 at 9:20 am to poochie
I would ask for verification. Assuming it is legit, pay it on condition that it is immediately removed from your report.
Posted on 2/15/24 at 9:24 am to LNCHBOX
quote:
would ask for verification. Assuming it is legit, pay it on condition that it is immediately removed from your report.
This. It’s small enough to pay out but get the verification from the collection agency.
Posted on 2/15/24 at 9:28 am to poochie
I had a bill like this after my appendectomy in 2019. I had a payment plan set up with the billing company, and paid off the balance in 4-5 months, but there was apparently another balance on a separate account that I was sent 1 bill in the beginning, then a notice of collections a year or so later, months after the automatic payments finished.
After going round and round with the billing company and the collections agency, I just decided to say 'frick it'. Since then, I've applied for 2 car loans and a couple
of credit cards and have had no trouble getting approved.
I'm don't think that Medical Collections under $500 even go on your credit report anymore
NerdWallet Article
After going round and round with the billing company and the collections agency, I just decided to say 'frick it'. Since then, I've applied for 2 car loans and a couple
of credit cards and have had no trouble getting approved.
I'm don't think that Medical Collections under $500 even go on your credit report anymore
NerdWallet Article
Posted on 2/15/24 at 10:07 am to LSUGUMBO
Send'em an IOU from deez nutz
Posted on 2/15/24 at 10:08 am to Weekend Warrior79
quote:
Tell them you are ready to pay but want to make sure you hadn't already paid the bill or that the charges are appropriate.
This is actually a good point. Our hospital recently consolidated several clinics and for one of the kids we were double billed thousands and thankfully my wife questioned it and the clinic had billed then they transitioned to the hospital and the hospital billed the same thing again that was already paid.
Posted on 2/15/24 at 10:10 am to LSUGUMBO
quote:
After going round and round with the billing company and the collections agency, I just decided to say 'frick it'. Since then, I've applied for 2 car loans and a couple of credit cards and have had no trouble getting approved.
This is kind of my stance. If it doesn’t affect anything I’ll just pay it. If I owe it and it’s legit, ok. But it’s the principal that makes me want to fight.
Posted on 2/15/24 at 10:23 am to poochie
I have had 2 kids in the last couple years and all I can add is that the billing process from these events is such a scam. It is absolutely wild how the entire process hasn't been formalized. By the time your insurance figures its shite out, the hospital has already shipped off your "bills" to a debt collections agency. It is in your insurance/hospital/debt collectors interest to make the entire process as difficult as possible in hopes that everyone just says F it and pays.
ETA the $110 or whatever will never impact your credit score so you just have to decide if you actually want to pay it or not so they will leave you alone.
ETA the $110 or whatever will never impact your credit score so you just have to decide if you actually want to pay it or not so they will leave you alone.
This post was edited on 2/15/24 at 10:25 am
Posted on 2/15/24 at 10:41 am to poochie
I've got a benign tumor in my brain. Blood work often, injections weekly, MRIs biannually. Needless to say my bills are sort of all over. I had a very open conversation between the hospital and doctors office. I will pay all of my debts, but it will be on a payment plan, and the minute you send me to collections I will completely stop payment. My credit score is well into the 800s, I already have a low mortgage rate, and all vehicles I own are 2nd hand . It's forced the billing to consolidate my bill every few minutes which makes it much easier to keep up with instead of receiving 5 different bills every month.
Posted on 2/15/24 at 10:46 am to poochie
I didn’t think medical bills could appear on credit report.
Posted on 2/15/24 at 11:29 am to poochie
If it's legit I would just pay the hospital online. I occasionally have gotten bills from collections but a lot of times it's hospital in house collection company because it never hits credit report. I just go online and pay the hospital/Dr. I don't talk to the collection folks at all or acknowledge receiving anything.
Posted on 2/15/24 at 12:05 pm to holmesbr
quote:
I just go online and pay the hospital/Dr. I don't talk to the collection folks at all or acknowledge receiving anything.
I can’t. When I called the hospital they said it’s out of their hands. I don’t even have a physical bill. I told the collections last to send everything they have to me to review.
Posted on 2/15/24 at 12:27 pm to TigerintheNO
Are dental bills considered medical?
Posted on 2/15/24 at 12:33 pm to poochie
quote:
This is actually a good point. Our hospital recently consolidated several clinics and for one of the kids we were double billed thousands and thankfully my wife questioned it and the clinic had billed then they transitioned to the hospital and the hospital billed the same thing again that was already paid.
That happened to us, one kid got charged like 3 times for his tubes.
Taught me a lesson, I wouldnt have questioned it except we got 3 different invoices within days of each other...all for the same amounts. I was like wtf?
Posted on 2/15/24 at 12:45 pm to TigerintheNO
quote:
I didn’t think medical bills could appear on credit report.
I think there is a 500 dollar minimum before it would show.
Posted on 2/15/24 at 1:15 pm to poochie
It’s frustrating that a random medical bill can just pop up in the mail. If I don’t remember receiving the service or even know the doctor then why should I pay.
There should be a statute of limitations on medical billing. Visible prices for every service as well. Just my wish list.
There should be a statute of limitations on medical billing. Visible prices for every service as well. Just my wish list.
Posted on 2/15/24 at 1:25 pm to poochie
quote:
Received a call yesterday about a medical bill from 2022 for $110 that’s been put into collections. My credit lives in the 775-825 range
There is a $500 minimum before medical bills show up on credit reports.
Posted on 2/15/24 at 4:17 pm to poochie
I’m pretty sure a law came into place at the beginning of 2023 that no medical bill under 500 can be sent to collections (this info is from the collection agency I use)
Posted on 2/15/24 at 4:47 pm to TigerMan327
quote:
I’m pretty sure a law came into place at the beginning of 2023 that no medical bill under 500 can be sent to collections (this info is from the collection agency I use)
It still goes into collections but they cannot report it to the credit bureaus.
They may call you and email you about it, but they will not report it on your credit report.
I think there is an attorney in Kenner that specializes in medical debt collection. I think I got phone call or they left a message about an unpaid medical bill from 2022. They will not receive a single cent from me. The bill was for something like 250 dollars, Blue Cross paid zero since it was an emergency room visit and my plan doesn’t kick in until the deductible for that type of visit.
Long story short, I went to my hospital’s after hours medical clinic who could and should have treated me there with prescription, easy 40 dollar copay, but they deferred me to their emergency room for the script and an emergency room charge.
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