Disputed Claim Effect on Credit- Collection Efforts Big Tzurich!

[mringelheim]

Hey guys - so basiclly I have a collection agencey about to report an unpaid medical bill of 255.00 from 2009 that for some reason was never paid.  I called the Dr. and she is unwilling to settle and I called the insurance company and they never got a copy of the claim at all. It drives me crazy that I should have to pay for a bill which they claim insurance rejected even though insurance never put it into files and they have no proof of rejection.  Clearly the Dr. sent the bill, it got lost, they assumed rejection, sent me only one letter over a year ago and then now sent to collections to ruin my credit.

I guess my question is two-fold:
a) How bad for credit would it be to have disputed claim - it seems difficult based on my week's work to actually get the billing agent at Dr. to reapply -she's underpaid and burnt out with this case?
b) Any other suggestions for what I can do being that the Dr. is unwilling to settle

[elikay]

small claims?

[mringelheim]

Thx Eli

255 dollars

[elikay]

Thx Eli

255 dollars

Well otherwise it's on your report. It may be worthwhile looking into as to if the doctor must prove that they submitted it.

[elikay]

Well otherwise it's on your report. It may be worthwhile looking into as to if the doctor must prove that they submitted it.

and that might actually be something to demand from a collection agency as proof that you indeed owe the money (as they are required to provide you with written proof).

[AsherO]

and that might actually be something to demand from a collection agency as proof that you indeed owe the money (as they are required to provide you with written proof).

+1, No proof and they have to remove it from your credit. I don't even think you need to go the SCC route. Just make sure to request that they prove it was denied by your insurance, since they cannot they'll have to remove it and/or go collect it from the insurance co.

[mringelheim]

Thanks so much
Both the Dr. and the Collection ppl claim that its my responsibility to collect from insurance- the dr. just does it as favor.  Ridiculous! Either way I am concerned that they still claim they wil make a report.

[Spiffster]

i've attached my little mantra about dr. collections (sorry that it's a zip, had to get below 128K).  pay special attention to points # 1, 6 & 8.

i love my doctor but his office staff is incompetent.  I've had 3 items "go to collections" because they never billed my insurance.  Contact your insurance carrier and have them contact the dr's office for you.  The "assumed rejection" is the kicker.  When this first happened to me, I had to call the insurance company 3 times before my drs. office finally got it that they weren't going to get paid.  It was nice having an ins. co. fight for you - the claims helper actually sounded gleeful when she explained it to me (essentially the same info in the attachment

there is no downside to disputing it - in fact, it's the only way to get it off your report.  you need to get this off your report if you want to play this game.  You dispute it with the bureaus, you send a letter to the dr telling them to reverse all this carp with the collection agency and the credit bureau(s) because you are not contractually obligated to pay and they should know that and you ignore the collection agency (don't even answer the phone when they call). 

If the facts are as you state, this is a slam dunk.  It's just going to take a month or so to get it straightened out.  And remember, when you get the letter from the dr.s office that it's been resolved, you pull all 3 of your credit reports to make sure...

[mringelheim]

THank you so much - currently its not on my credit report yet- they are going to report it on Friday (collection service) so I am gonna try pushing for this.