So, I got a bill from a collection agency the other day....my ex-wife forgot to inform me of a medical labwork bill for our daughter (shared custody, I pay her medical insurance) from a few months ago. I've never had collections come after me before in my life. And it sucks because it could've been totally avoided considering I gave her a HSA debit card to use for these things.

Anyway I haven't checked my credit score yet but, would it be better for me to:

-Pay the hospital directly.

-Pay the collection agency.

-doesnt' matter now because my credit score will go down either way.

I would pay the hospital directly (if they'll accept payment), and not worry much about the score.

Medical bills don't scare creditors that much.

I second a1.

It most likely hasn't hit your credit yet even.

Something similar happened to me in that a collection agency sent me a letter. it added a hefty surcharge on the original bill. I called the hospital. Paid it directly without the surcharge.

Once sent to collections you can usually not pay the creditor directly.

I was able to once because I was able to get the insurance company to admit they messed up in billing and it had been under dispute the entire time and the facility had logged calls to confirm this.

Who signed the financial responsibility paperwork at the hospital? I would contact the hospital and ask for them to produce paperwork with your signature on it if it was not you.

quote:

-Pay the hospital directly

Be super nice to hospital billing and they may accept payment. Often once it is sent to collections they will not accept payment, but if you speak with the right supervisor they may allow it. One angle you might try is giving them your address so they can bill you directly in the future. Most hospital and doctors forms have a section for that. Usually entitled Responsible Party.

The above approach has worked for me. Hospital and medical billing is filled with mistakes. Good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:


Who signed the financial responsibility paperwork at the hospital? I would contact the hospital and ask for them to produce paperwork with your signature on it if it was not you.

This is my first question.

I have the exact agreement with my ex. I pay insurance premiums and 100% of medical costs, which she pays with a HSA card. (I regret agreeing to this every time she goes to the ED for a runny nose).

However, if I'm not there to sign the agreement to pay, whoever is owed better not be coming after me if SHE failed to pay after signing for financial responsibility. I'll pay what was owed on the original, but I'm not covering for her screw-up.

How did that happen?

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:

How did that happen?

Small town hospital, everyone knows everyone else's business, so it's not surprising.

quote:

Originally posted by agony:

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:

How did that happen?

Small town hospital, everyone knows everyone else's business, so it's not surprising.

But who signed the admissions/financial responsibility paperwork when admitted?

If not you, then you don't owe the money and you need to have it corrected. Even if you are paying in the end, the responsibility for payment falls to whoever had her admitted.

Call the hospital and talk to them

If its at a collection agency -and- it is on your credit report, tell them you will pay for removal/deletion. You pay, they remove it.

I'm not an attorney, but I am familiar with collection agency laws in two states as I have been sold to collection agencies on three occasions for bills which I dispute. You were sold to the collection agency for less than your alleged debt. If you feel that the medical bill is valid (and you seem to), ethically, you should pay the collection agency fully if you can, work out a payment arrangement if necessary, or settle with them in some way.

If you feel that the medical bill is not valid or subject to some type of dispute, you should still discuss your account with the collection agency.

As for your credit rating, credit rating agencies revised their models somewhat recently to de-emphasize medical bills. My FICO score is 850 despite two somewhat recently "REFUSED" medical bills strongly supporting my ancestors' assistance in founding the Republic of Texas. (Yes, they emigrated from Tennessee for a cause.)



Do not do that, especially if you have access to a functioning cannon.

I knew of Sparta, but not of the Georgians' battle with the British until I was highly motivated to buy my stamper from its creator in Georgia.

Call the hospital and offer to fully pay IF and ONLY if they put in writing, the agreement to take anything off your credit.

After reading into it a little bit this morning, it looks as if the credit reporting bureaus have adjusted how they handle medical debt, likely as a result of how most creditors give it different weight than other types.

Based on what I read, all medical debt is removed from your credit reports if paid in full without you having to put up any sort of fight.

Fuss about CREDIT SCORES is over-rated. Just be a good person and pay your debts. If you miss one, as in this case, just simply and honestly explain it and pay it. This rest will take care of itself.

My ex did this with our daughter- she had responsibility to pay and I to pay back part, which has been since revised.

Went to ER for sore throat, put MY name and address as guarantor, then signed her name underneath.

When reported as a fraudulent to the billing department (when I got the initial overdue notice) I told them I was never there to sign it, had no idea if she had even been to the doctor, etc. Asked them who signed paperwork "Uh, we can't tell you if you were not here."

Ok, then since you have the paperwork, give me your email address, I will send you my handwriting sample- if they don't match, here's (her name and address) and bill her.

Send me another payment demand or overdue notice and you'll hear back from my attorney, as I was not there, and had no part of this visit.

Got a dismissal notice and apology two days later. She had provided my info, using my information to open a line of credit, in direct violation of the divorce decree, just as suspected.

I can't help on the credit score thing but I've had the same problem and it hasn't affected my score. I'm at 806 and had that happen just a few months ago.

Anyhow I feel your pain. I insure my kids and my ex has to pay the first $250 out of pocket, then we split it. Anyhow because I'm on the insurance all the bills go to me. I try to get the hospital to change addresses but it always reverts to me at some point then I have to try to get the money from her. It sucks.

Thanks guys for all the input.

I hate that my ex takes my daughter to the doctor for every little thing, especially considering I'm a PA and 90% of the problems she has I know are self-limiting or non-emergent.


The bill wasn't for an admission, but for labwork performed at the time, so my signature on the visit isn't needed. Her mother is still my daughter's primary guardian.

I'll call the hospital first tomorrow morning. If it doesn't affect my credit, I'd rather just pay them directly.

If the collection agency owns the debt, you have to pay them.

If they are collecting for the hospital, then you may be able to pay the hospital.

Update:

Called the hospital. They removed my name from collections and will send a letter regarding this to me. I paid the bill in full with my HSA card...they even knocked off 25% of the bill.

Thanks for all the advice folks. I think I worried too much about it, but stuff that affects my credit freaks me out.

quote:

but stuff that affects my credit freaks me out.

As it should. I protect my credit rating more than my health. Glad it worked out for you as it can be a real pain to fix.