Medical Bill question

[julie]

Do two things auntie,
#1. Contact the hospital via letter regarding your concerns and

#2. Contact the 3 credit bureau's as AnD suggested.
Only approach it this way. CB's have 30 days from the date they recieve an inqury from your to investigate and resolve the issue. If they can't adequately reseove it within that 30 day period, then they are forced to remove any negative"reports" on your report. So what you do (and I've personally done this) is inundate them with CERTIFIED RETURN RECIEPT inquiries/disputes on your credit account, remembering to send them to all 3 bureaus. It is a little costly, I remember spending about $100 overall with the mail and return reciepts, but it was wiped off my credit.

The idea is that you give them so many things to work on, that they generally don't have time to process it within 30 days. It doesn't walways work, but it's worth a try.

 

[Landy]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>JennifersHope</b></i>

Thanks Guys



Linda, how long should I give it to make sure they are going clear it, some of them I paid well over a month ago and they are still on my report as unpaid... ANy Ideas?



Thanks so much</end quote></div>

I used to work at a credit card company & we reported information to the CB once a month, usually on the same date each month. I'm not sure how collection agency's do it, but you would think they are required to update at least monthly?

If it has already been a couple of months, I would see if it shows a paid collection debt first and then, as others have mentioned, contact all 3 CB's to notify them that the collection debt has been paid.

 

[Landy]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>JennifersHope</b></i>

Thanks Guys



Linda, how long should I give it to make sure they are going clear it, some of them I paid well over a month ago and they are still on my report as unpaid... ANy Ideas?



Thanks so much</end quote></div>

I used to work at a credit card company & we reported information to the CB once a month, usually on the same date each month. I'm not sure how collection agency's do it, but you would think they are required to update at least monthly?

If it has already been a couple of months, I would see if it shows a paid collection debt first and then, as others have mentioned, contact all 3 CB's to notify them that the collection debt has been paid.

 

[Landy]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>JennifersHope</b></i>

Thanks Guys



Linda, how long should I give it to make sure they are going clear it, some of them I paid well over a month ago and they are still on my report as unpaid... ANy Ideas?



Thanks so much</end quote></div>

I used to work at a credit card company & we reported information to the CB once a month, usually on the same date each month. I'm not sure how collection agency's do it, but you would think they are required to update at least monthly?

If it has already been a couple of months, I would see if it shows a paid collection debt first and then, as others have mentioned, contact all 3 CB's to notify them that the collection debt has been paid.

 

[chrissyd]

I read CBR's everyday. They do count. Many companies don't way them in...depending on who your dealing with. But they definately count.
You are entitled to one free copy of your CBR (Credit Report) from each of the 3 major agencies...every year. When you review them you are given a form to fill out to alter any incorrect info.

If you paid the bill, it still has an impact just not as much. Many are under the assumption that once it is paid it will come off. It DOESN'T. Things stay on your CBR for aprox 10 years; not 7 like so many have been told. Unfortunately b/c of my job and where I work I am not able to give any advice (legality) for helping raise your scores; but I certinly wanted to chime in on the issue and give some tid bits of info; or as much as I could.

 

[chrissyd]

I read CBR's everyday. They do count. Many companies don't way them in...depending on who your dealing with. But they definately count.
You are entitled to one free copy of your CBR (Credit Report) from each of the 3 major agencies...every year. When you review them you are given a form to fill out to alter any incorrect info.

If you paid the bill, it still has an impact just not as much. Many are under the assumption that once it is paid it will come off. It DOESN'T. Things stay on your CBR for aprox 10 years; not 7 like so many have been told. Unfortunately b/c of my job and where I work I am not able to give any advice (legality) for helping raise your scores; but I certinly wanted to chime in on the issue and give some tid bits of info; or as much as I could.

 

[chrissyd]

I read CBR's everyday. They do count. Many companies don't way them in...depending on who your dealing with. But they definately count.
You are entitled to one free copy of your CBR (Credit Report) from each of the 3 major agencies...every year. When you review them you are given a form to fill out to alter any incorrect info.

If you paid the bill, it still has an impact just not as much. Many are under the assumption that once it is paid it will come off. It DOESN'T. Things stay on your CBR for aprox 10 years; not 7 like so many have been told. Unfortunately b/c of my job and where I work I am not able to give any advice (legality) for helping raise your scores; but I certinly wanted to chime in on the issue and give some tid bits of info; or as much as I could.

 

[chrissyd]

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.htm">Cbr advice from FT commision</a>

 

[chrissyd]

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.htm">Cbr advice from FT commision</a>

 

[chrissyd]

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.htm">Cbr advice from FT commision</a>

 

[ReneeP]

I didn't read all the replies, so I apologize if I'm repeating something... Credit Bureaus DO count your medical bills when figuring your score...however, banks are legally required to ignore medical bills when you apply for credit. The law does not allow them to use that against you... but they can use the score against you. It's a catch 22. If a bank wants to deny you credit they can say your score is too low (even though it was influenced by medical bills) they just can't specifically use the medical bills as a reason to deny you credit. Hope that makes sense. I know what I'm trying to say, just can't seem to get it out the way I want to... .

 

[ReneeP]

I didn't read all the replies, so I apologize if I'm repeating something... Credit Bureaus DO count your medical bills when figuring your score...however, banks are legally required to ignore medical bills when you apply for credit. The law does not allow them to use that against you... but they can use the score against you. It's a catch 22. If a bank wants to deny you credit they can say your score is too low (even though it was influenced by medical bills) they just can't specifically use the medical bills as a reason to deny you credit. Hope that makes sense. I know what I'm trying to say, just can't seem to get it out the way I want to... .

 

[ReneeP]

I didn't read all the replies, so I apologize if I'm repeating something... Credit Bureaus DO count your medical bills when figuring your score...however, banks are legally required to ignore medical bills when you apply for credit. The law does not allow them to use that against you... but they can use the score against you. It's a catch 22. If a bank wants to deny you credit they can say your score is too low (even though it was influenced by medical bills) they just can't specifically use the medical bills as a reason to deny you credit. Hope that makes sense. I know what I'm trying to say, just can't seem to get it out the way I want to... .

 

[JazzysMom]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>ReneeP</b></i>

I didn't read all the replies, so I apologize if I'm repeating something... Credit Bureaus DO count your medical bills when figuring your score...however, banks are legally required to ignore medical bills when you apply for credit. The law does not allow them to use that against you... but they can use the score against you. It's a catch 22. If a bank wants to deny you credit they can say your score is too low (even though it was influenced by medical bills) they just can't specifically use the medical bills as a reason to deny you credit. Hope that makes sense. I know what I'm trying to say, just can't seem to get it out the way I want to... .</end quote></div>


Well this sucks horse poop.....so if you have nothing else BUT medical bills that is lowering your score.....they can still say your score is too low? Geeze bend over so they can stick it in farther! (sorry to graphic ??)

 

[JazzysMom]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>ReneeP</b></i>

I didn't read all the replies, so I apologize if I'm repeating something... Credit Bureaus DO count your medical bills when figuring your score...however, banks are legally required to ignore medical bills when you apply for credit. The law does not allow them to use that against you... but they can use the score against you. It's a catch 22. If a bank wants to deny you credit they can say your score is too low (even though it was influenced by medical bills) they just can't specifically use the medical bills as a reason to deny you credit. Hope that makes sense. I know what I'm trying to say, just can't seem to get it out the way I want to... .</end quote></div>


Well this sucks horse poop.....so if you have nothing else BUT medical bills that is lowering your score.....they can still say your score is too low? Geeze bend over so they can stick it in farther! (sorry to graphic ??)

 

[JazzysMom]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>ReneeP</b></i>

I didn't read all the replies, so I apologize if I'm repeating something... Credit Bureaus DO count your medical bills when figuring your score...however, banks are legally required to ignore medical bills when you apply for credit. The law does not allow them to use that against you... but they can use the score against you. It's a catch 22. If a bank wants to deny you credit they can say your score is too low (even though it was influenced by medical bills) they just can't specifically use the medical bills as a reason to deny you credit. Hope that makes sense. I know what I'm trying to say, just can't seem to get it out the way I want to... .</end quote></div>


Well this sucks horse poop.....so if you have nothing else BUT medical bills that is lowering your score.....they can still say your score is too low? Geeze bend over so they can stick it in farther! (sorry to graphic ??)