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CaidensMommy
My 3 Miracles!
Member since 5/05 5777 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Medical bills and your credit report and score?
Do these go on your credit report and ruin your score? I always thought they don't because they're medical. Or maybe it "used" to be like that? We have a couple of bills that we haven't been able to pay and I just found out it's in collections now and they said it's on my report now!  Usually medical bills are unexpected and not planned for and sometimes you don't have the money for them!!! 
If they do, is it a really hard hit?  We're trying to work on our score and now this! 
I'm tired of trying!!!! 
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Posted 3/22/12 11:11 AM  |
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ElizaRags35
My 2 Girls
Member since 2/09 20494 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: Medical bills and your credit report and score?
Posted by CaidensMommy
Do these go on your credit report and ruin your score? I always thought they don't because they're medical. Or maybe it "used" to be like that? We have a couple of bills that we haven't been able to pay and I just found out it's in collections now and they said it's on my report now! Usually medical bills are unexpected and not planned for and sometimes you don't have the money for them!!!
If they do, is it a really hard hit? We're trying to work on our score and now this!
I'm tired of trying!!!!
Yup. I am currently in a 3 way dispute between my former ins. co. and the Department of Labor. Long story short, I quit my job. That same weekend I dislocated my shoulder, went to the ER assuming I was still covered. Final paycheck had the premium taken out. Was never offered Cobra. Ins. Co. paid the bill and then retracted the payment b/c my former employer CANCELED my insurance retroactive to the day I quit which was 2 days before I went to the ER. I informed the hospital billing dept. that I was disputing the charges and if they could put a hold on it. It's been 9 months and still no resolution.
I got a collection letter about a month ago. I called to explain what was going on and they said unfortunately, in order for it to not go on my credit report, I need to pay it and if it ends up being the ins. co.'s burden, they will reimburse me.
So, unfortunately, yes it can affect your credit and it SUCKS. Can you set up a payment plan with the Dr's office?
Not sure how it affects it though...
Sorry this ended up being so long!
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| Posted 3/22/12 12:19 PM |
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drpepper318
MIR MIR MIR!
Member since 6/07 8274 total posts
Name:
me
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Re: Medical bills and your credit report and score?
Yes it does! Someone I know was telling me she can't get approved for a new credit card now, because an outstanding medical bill totally ruined her credit.
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| Posted 3/22/12 9:42 PM |
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Re: Medical bills and your credit report and score?
I am sure if you call they will try to work out an affordable payment plan.
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| Posted 3/23/12 8:12 AM |
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tara73
carseat nerd
Member since 11/09 3669 total posts
Name:
Buttercup
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Re: Medical bills and your credit report and score?
Posted by mzsocialworker1
I am sure if you call they will try to work out an affordable payment plan.
Make sure you get it in writing, and add that they won't report to the agreement or send to collections.
A collection is a collection. Some places, as a courtesy, do not report. Others do. It is up to each individual medical provider.
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| Posted 3/23/12 11:04 AM |
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ave1024
I Took The Wrong Road
Member since 12/07 6153 total posts
Name:
That Led To The Wrong Tendencies
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Re: Medical bills and your credit report and score?
Medical debt is no different than any other debt. So don't allow them to mark your credit report or else you will pay for it in the long run.
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| Posted 3/29/12 10:15 PM |
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seasaw
LIF Adolescent
Member since 9/09 648 total posts
Name:
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Re: Medical bills and your credit report and score?
Yes! Unfortunately, I had a problem with this years ago where I never got a few bills after moving even with a mail forward and they all ended up on my credit report! One was a $10 copay for bloodwork and the other was a $40 copay that turned into an $813.13 judgement by the time I moved back to NY from CA and they were able to file it. I paid both just for them to be settled but they are still there!
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| Posted 3/30/12 12:35 AM |
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LadyH
April Baby Girl is Here!
Member since 12/07 1077 total posts
Name:
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Re: Medical bills and your credit report and score?
Good to know -
I think medical bills are intentionally confusing and random. So I usually call the insurance company and break balls until they clear up how they came up with the bill.
Message edited 4/15/2012 1:40:36 AM.
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| Posted 4/15/12 1:40 AM |
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Re: Medical bills and your credit report and score?
I know this post is older and maybe MI is different then NY, but here is what I have learned about medical debt....
It sucks
Many hospitals will shuffle the bill to multiple collection agencies so you need to find out if your hospital or doctors office does this. If it does then you can take it to court and make the hospital prove you owe the debt. At that point they can't because they sold your debt to 2 or maybe 3 agencies. This happened to me and was sued. I went to the hearing and asked them to prove the debt to me since they and 2 other agencies said I owed this debt and to show what the debt was for. They couldn't and everything was dismissed. I had another debt from another hospital that used 1 attorney and 1 agency so we settled. They can show the basics like who you owe, but they can't disclose the reason for the debt. Like it can show ABC hospital for $1000 but it can't say ABC hospital for $1000 due to childbirth.
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| Posted 5/16/12 11:45 AM |
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VanderZwang
LIF Adolescent
Member since 2/11 740 total posts
Name:
Gail
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Re: Medical bills and your credit report and score?
Ok Kids :)
Going to teach you all something that will save your lives!
Medical collections are NOT ALLOWED on your credit report.
If they show up, you dispute it.
Ask for it to be removed under HIPPA laws.
By puttig medical collections on credit reports it VIOLATES HIPPA privacy laws.
So if its there, dispute it, ask (TELL!!) for it to be removed under HIPPA laws.
Voila. Easy peasy.
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| Posted 5/16/12 12:06 PM |
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tara73
carseat nerd
Member since 11/09 3669 total posts
Name:
Buttercup
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Re: Medical bills and your credit report and score?
Actually, in your zeal to "teach" us something, you fell victim yourself to misinformation. Collection agencies and medical providers CAN report medical debt, but they're supposed to redact certain information from showing in order to be HIPAA compliant. Many will delete from a credit report if you use HIPAA as the reason simply because it may be easier, but they're not obligated to delete it or legally barred from reporting medical debt.
Does the HIPAA Privacy Rule prevent reporting to consumer credit reporting agencies or otherwise create any conflict with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)? Answer: No. The Privacy Rule’s definition of “payment” includes disclosures to consumer reporting agencies. These disclosures, however, are limited to the following protected health information about the individual: name and address; date of birth; social security number; payment history; and account number. In addition, disclosure of the name and address of the health care provider or health plan making the report is allowed. The covered entity may perform this payment activity directly, or may carry out this function through a third party, such as a collection agency, under a business associate arrangement. The Privacy Rule permits uses and disclosures by the covered entity or its business associate as may be required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) or other law. Therefore, the Department does not believe there is a conflict between the Privacy Rule and legal duties imposed on data furnishers by FCRA.
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/faq/disclosures/267.html
The above is from the Dept of health and human services, the office of civil rights, aka the place you make complaints to. 
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| Posted 5/22/12 11:57 PM |
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