Collection Agency-Need advice(long)

Last year I had a dental visit.The dentist submitted the paperwork to my insurance co. The insur. company sent me a partial payment and requested more info from the dentist to pay the rest of the claim. I called the dentist,faxed them the letter from the insur. company and mailed them the partial payment I received.Never heard anything.Now a year later I get a call from a collection agency and they have added this to my credit report.After speaking w/my Insur. co. that check was never cashed so I asked them to re-issue a new one.However, they never received what they needed to pay the rest of the claim. The dentist office is not returning my calls and my credit is being affected.Does anyone have any idea what I should do from here? I want this off my credit report.Do I have to pay the remainder of this bill b/c the dentist never followed up?
I'm sorry this is so long.....any advice would be appreciated

Message edited 6/24/2009 10:07:24 AM.

Re: Collection Agency-Need advice(long)

If they are not returning your calls, my first action would be to make them a personal visit to get it straightened out.

Re: Collection Agency-Need advice(long)

I agree -- make a personal visit to get it straightened out -- HOWEVER, make sure to tell them that you will pay this in exchange for it being taken off your credit report. It sounds like this was not your fault, so I would be firm on that. They should be more than willing to remove it from your credit report for full payment.

Re: Collection Agency-Need advice(long)

Thank you for your responses.....the problem is the dentist is in Buffalo...so I can't just stop in. Does the dentist have the power to get this removed from my credit report? and call off the collection agency?

Re: Collection Agency-Need advice(long)

The dentist may not return your calls because they turned it over to the collection agency. Have you called the collection agency and spoken to them yet? If not, call them, explain all of this and tell them that your insurnace company cannot cut a check without documentation -- and the dentist (their client) is not returning your calls. Let the collections agency deal with the dentist if the dentist won't call you back.

I'm guessing this dentist turns all of its overdue accounts over to collections after a certain amount of time automatically. Hopefully you can get this resolved soon.

Re: Collection Agency-Need advice(long)

Re: Collection Agency-Need advice(long)

Thank you soooo much.....This has been bothering me for days...I'm going to do all the above......

Re: Collection Agency-Need advice(long)

You are gonna have to be a huge advocate for yourself and get that dentist to get you or the insurance company the info they need ASAP. I worked in insurance for yrs, the insurance companycant do anything ( our simply wont) and its easier for the dentist to just bill you then do any hard work.

I would call call call and make the hugest fuss you could ever make to the office till someone helps you.

Ask them to fax YOU the info and you fax it to the insurance to make sure it gets there. Then follow up frequently witrh the insurance till the claim is processed.

Int he meantime, you can get the check sent , stopped and re-issued and it might help the denitist to get at least some payment.

Ask the dentist to take the claim OUT of collections ASAP as you are working on it and need their assistance to get full payment to them.

Good luck!

Re: Collection Agency-Need advice(long)

Once the file gets turned over to a collection agency the Dentist is instructed not to talk to you. There are very strict rules that need to be followed by anyone doing collections so the agencies tell the dentist not to talk to you. Call the agency and ask for documentation. They have to supply it to you by law. At that point write a letter of dispute. (send the dispute letter certified return receipt).

then work with your ins. company to get the check cut and work on the other part of the bill.