Medical collections/HIPAA process

[njmike88]

I have already opted out, the first step. I am now preparing to call the CRA's to update/delete personal info. One of my credit reports has 14 previous address's, most of them correct. How many can I have deleted? If I try to delete too many will it send up a red flag? I understand the more I have deleted the better chance I have of getting some TL's removed from dispute, but I don't want to mess things up with the CRA's this early in the game.

By the way I have around 12 medical collections totalling $3500 and I am prepared to PIF. Thanks in advance for any info.

[haven555]

Sent CM on 1/29 and letter from them dated 2/3 recv'd today......

."If you question the results of our investigation, then you may want to contact the data furnisher directly. please refer to your original personal credit report for the business name, addresss, and phone number (if available) of the source that verified the information."

Now, first of all, they made no mention of the letter I'd sent and the account they are referring to but there was only one pre hippa letter in that envelope so I know which one they are referring to but it sounds as though they are basically refusing to research this for me. I'm not sure what they mean by "if you question the results of our investigation" b/c there was no investigation to provide any results to begin with?

Is my next step to file a complaint against Experian or do I now have to battle with a DV from the CA which is what I was dreading having to do all along?

[Trish]

Originally Posted by haven555

Sent CM on 1/29 and letter from them dated 2/3 recv'd today......

."If you question the results of our investigation, then you may want to contact the data furnisher directly. please refer to your original personal credit report for the business name, addresss, and phone number (if available) of the source that verified the information."

Now, first of all, they made no mention of the letter I'd sent and the account they are referring to but there was only one pre hippa letter in that envelope so I know which one they are referring to but it sounds as though they are basically refusing to research this for me. I'm not sure what they mean by "if you question the results of our investigation" b/c there was no investigation to provide any results to begin with?

Is my next step to file a complaint against Experian or do I now have to battle with a DV from the CA which is what I was dreading having to do all along?

I would wait out the FULL 30 days (+ 5 days for mail time). This may not be their final response. If you still receive nothing after the 30 days are up, then file an FTC complaint and redispute w/a copy of the complaint included in your letter.
Do you have ANY idea who the OC/original healthcare provider is?

[bschmidt]

I've got a good one for you

Just ran my credit reports and found a collection on there. I was surprised - I am very away aware of when bills are due. It was very ambiguous on Equifax - no name of CRA (it was numbers and letters), no original creditor, no explanation really. On TransUnion it at least showed me who the CRA is (Americollect) and the OC (a local hospital). I immediately determined that this is an unpaid bill for medial copays for my wife. I am sure they are for her. That begs the question - why are they on my CR? Our health insurance is in her name, so she would have been the guarantor. Anyways, I also did not receive a call or letter from the CRA on this - I'm sure of that. I admit that I may have overlooked the original bill from the hospital because there was so much coming from them at the time and I was just trying to keep everything straight because sometimes the copays were tacked on with other charges and copays and sometimes they were seperate bills - very confusing.

So... where do I go from here? Seeing as how this is on my report at the moment, do I dispute with the CRAs that this is in fact my wife's debt, or do I start the HIPAA process as it is right now, or both? I may also be able to pay the bill with the hospital online if I can determine the account number. Unfortunately, it's different for each transaction with them and it's masked on the CR and I can't locate any bills that match this amount. Obviously I would have rather just paid the $76 than having to deal with it this way had I known about it. My wife has some old baddies on her report, but mine is clean except for this and some high util that I'm working on. We need my score to apply for a mortgage and we're intending to do that sometime next year. Any input you can provide is very much appreciated!

[brihaff]

do you have a sample letter that I could use to have the CA report removed when i paid the original bill to the health care provider.

[justmindy]

Want to start by saying thank you to this board for so much helpful information. Cleaning up credit you ruined is a long and tiring process and without forums like this I would be screwed.

Ok so I am starting the HIPPA process with 2 medical accounts from the same CA and the same OC. These accounts are mine, I know what they are for. Does this matter when sending the original CRA dispute letter?

Next, the only account numbers I have before sending the original dispute is the one on my Equifax report (this is the only report they are being listed on). The problem is the account number is partial with the last part being x's (i.e. Stuff555xxxxx), should I list it just as it is on the report? Also where it says "I have no knowledge or records of account # xxxxx from xxxxxx on my report # xxxxx" for the from part do I list the CA name or the OC information the CA has on my report (i.e. CA = Rude Boys CA and OC = Your Hospital). Also, when I ordered my equifax report I don't see a report number listed on the report, does this really matter since I am providing my name and social? If not, I'm guessing I would actually end the sentence at "# xxxxx from xxxxxx".

When you say wait 30 days + 5 for mailing, that starts the day they sign for the CM right?

Sorry so many questions but having 2 accounts deleted can kick my score up a few points so I don't want to mess any part of it up.

[araceli2000]

What letter should I use if the bill was paid to the OC but with Medicaid?

[free.rprt]

Hi
I just joined now. 10/25/2010.

Is this process still effective. I have couple of medical accounts that went to collections and now two collections compaies are reporting crazy and lost 70 some points from my score. Please help and I am trying to get the insurance company to pay and dispute.

Thank you very much for answering and help.

Free Rprt

[chane]

As far as I know it still is. It's worth a try either way, isn't it?

[dave5316523]

I just came across the HIPAA process today and would like to use it on a new collection I just got the other day. A little background first:

- This just went into collections within the last few weeks and I received one letter from the collection agency.
- I immediately responded to this letter with a pay for delete letter (as I had not yet discovered this forum). I sent this letter even though there is currently nothing on my credit report.
- I also wrote the hospital asking them to pull back the accounts if possible and for the balances and information on the CAs where they sent my debts to (might be 2 seperate accts I believe) for my own tracking

Ok, so my question is if I can still do the HIPAA process? Also, do I need to do it? It seems the hospital is not reporting to the CRAs (I just checked 2 of the 3 reports minutes ago). And since they sent the debts to the CA, I would assume they can no longer report since its not their debt? I am trying to do whatever is possible to prevent the CA from reporting as well. Thanks for any help.