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2006-09-02 13:56:04 · 6 answers · asked by Rachael 1 in Health Other - Health

I am in North Carolina and making monthly payments on a medical bill and was just notified by a collection agency even though the last check to the doctor was just cashed a week ago! Any ideas on what to do next?

2006-09-02 14:23:03 · update #1

6 answers

I work in a large Billing Service for multi-Specialty physicians. Its is a myth that you cannot be sent to collections, even if you are paying 100.00 or 1.00 a week or a month. It is up to the individual physician as to how to handle his or her accounts, and sometimes you will encounter an office that does not notify you prior to the collection agency assignment. The best possible course of action is to contact the business office manager, ask him or her if you somehow fell behind in what they considered a minimum payment, and explain that your intention was to make payments to them (use the good faith approach) and you are 'confused' as to why they would have sent you to collections. In many cases, collection assigment can be made in error, as many practices have hunderds of accounts to consider each month. It is possible that this is what happened to you. It is important, no mater what, to remain calm when talking to the phsysicians office and remember that most physicians expect to be paid IN ADVANCE, even if you have insurance, and will re-imburse you later if they get paid. While this is not always practical, most offices do operate under the assumtion that they are billing your insurnace as a courtesy. They also consider your 'running balance' an extension of 'CREDIT' to you on their behalf, and the law actually looks upon it tht way as well. If you are making payments on a medical bill you essentially have a 'loan' from your doctor. Good Luck. :)

2006-09-06 13:47:40 · answer #1 · answered by jp1701 1 · 0 0

It's actually not true that they can't do anything to you if you pay them something each month. There is no state law in any state that says this, and this is a popular myth. Each creditor can set the amount it requires, just like any credit card or loan, and if that amount is not paid, they can take collections action.

They should have notified you, though, that the amount you were paying was not enough and if the payments did not increase, they would send you to collections. If they did, and you kept paying a lower amount, then they can send you to collections. If they just kept cashing your checks and never told you, it is not a violation of any law, but it's not good business or good customer service.

2006-09-04 02:37:02 · answer #2 · answered by J B 3 · 0 0

the only way that they might take that lots in a garnishment is that if he's in arrears of minor help. The regulation instruments the utmost quantity which would be garnished in any workweek or pay era, inspite of the style of garnishment orders gained by ability of the business enterprise. For basic garnishments (i.e., those no longer for help, financial ruin, or any state or federal tax), the weekly quantity would possibly no longer exceed the lesser of two figures: 25 % of the worker's disposable earnings, or the quantity by ability of which an worker's disposable earnings are extra effective than 30 situations the federal minimum salary (at the instant $7.25 an hour). For representation, if the pay era is weekly and disposable earnings are $217.50 ($7.25 × 30) or much less, there might properly be no garnishment. If disposable earnings are extra effective than $217.50 yet below $290.00 ($7.25 × 40), the quantity above $217.50 might properly be garnished. A maximum of 25 % might properly be garnished, if disposable earnings earnings are $290.00 or extra. while pay sessions conceal extra effective than one week, multiples of the weekly regulations might want for use to calculate the utmost quantities which would be garnished.

2016-11-06 07:40:55 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0 0

Any debtor can and will send you to collections if you are not making monthly payments. Many times you can call them directly and make payment arrangements. As long as you pay something they can't do anything to you.

2006-09-02 14:11:17 · answer #4 · answered by RITA G 3 · 0 0

I don't know about federal but some states have laws. In Texas if you pay $1.00 then they can't refer you but you have to pay each and every month. This refers to hospital bills not doctors.

2006-09-02 14:02:39 · answer #5 · answered by Proud to be an American 4 · 0 0

It's all state law.

2006-09-02 14:04:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

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