Collections

mana8503

Ugh, I feel like a money matters failure! I went on credit karma to checks H's scores. Holy crap, I think everything from his divorce finally fell off and it jump way up! I realized I haven't checked mine besides a quick glance, so I signed in and noticed I had a bill in collections! I clicked on it and it was an ER bill from last February.

I got my eob and knew I owed, but I figured I'd get a bill in the mail and I'll pay it then. In my defense, my mom had her heart catherization there and it took a year to get the bill.

So I call, and they only had part of my home address. And records showed the bill was never delivered, it kept coming back. They had my phone number right, but I guess it was easier to sent it to collections.

They are sending the bill to the right address now. I was mad and asked why they didn't call and now it'll be on my credit for 7 years. The billing woman said after I pay it this will come off my credit in 30 days. My fico.com says:

Collections: Generally, about 7 years, depending on the age of the debt being collected.

Does anyone know? Maybe because it is semi recent it's only until I pay it? Is there a way to fight it if it's still there?

(it's not affecting me too badly, I just never had a negative on my credit and it bothers me)

HoneyBee973

I have no idea what the correct answer is in this situation, but how frustrating that they didn't call you knowing they didn't have the full address on file.  GL!

Erikan73

I went through this with my husband. We ordered his credit report from all three agencies. On only one of them showed past medical bills,which he doesn't ever remember getting bills for. So we've been working on paying them off. The great thing is that the collection agency is updating his status monthly so it's looking better every month. But it's frustrating that they never tried to call or follow up with letters. Not even letters from the collection agency. Just put it on his credit report.

jessica490

We actually just had this happen with H....after he dropped out of school last April we didn't hear a peep from the school...then all of a sudden in November we started getting calls from a debt collector about a school bill balance of $520..so we called them up and asked what it was all about and why the school never contacted us....WELL, the dummies had our unit number wrong of our complex so all the letters never go to us and kept being returned to sender.....luckily we paid the bill right away and it won't hit H's credit report...we had about a week left before that happened.

But it was very frustrating that the school didn't try any other way to contact us!!

Your lucky that it will come off in 30 days thought!!

simplyelise

That is so frustrating! Hospitals and doctor's offices are always so difficult when it comes to billing. I would do some digging if it doesn't come off the credit report. Maybe you could get a letter from the hospital explaining the situation and attach it to your credit report?

vlagrl29

It does come off your credit report. DH check his last year and saw there was a medical bill on it that he didn't even know about.  He was pissed too.  He check his report 30 days later and it was taken off.

mana8503

 

vlagrl29 said:

It does come off your credit report. DH check his last year and saw there was a medical bill on it that he didn't even know about.  He was pissed too.  He check his report 30 days later and it was taken off.

YES!  This makes me feel better! Thanks!