Can medical bills that are seriously past due allowed to affect your credit score?

Question

I had just started a new job about 2 years ago and had to have emergency surgery to remove my gallbladder. I hadn't completed the 90-day waiting period to receive my health care benefits. I had to have it done! It has racked up over $10,000 for the anesthesia, hospital stay, meds...etc. It is now appearing on my credit score and affecting me badly...I can't buy a home or get a good rate on my auto loan...nothing. All I want to know is that if these collection agencies are allowed to put this on my credit score because it is something that I had no control over...IT HAD TO BE DONE. I am trying little by little to pay it down but overall they are considered negative accounts. Can I dispute this with the credit bureaus?? Anyone with any insight please help!

Answer 1

You should visit the hospital and talk to the Billing Dept. Mgr. Explain your situation and ask for help:
1) A reduction in the total bill.
2) A new agreement that you will actually be able to meet for payment terms over a period of time that will fit within your budget. Do not agree to payments that you can't keep up with.
3) Agreement that they will contact the credit reporting agency and advise them that you have negotiated new payment terms and requesting they delete the negative information. (They might not be willing to do this until you have had a few months of on-time payments. However, this would eventually improve your credit standing.)
4) If the Billing Dept. Mgr. will not cooperate, keep going up the chain of command until you get someone who will. Don't give up. Hospitals can use discretion in these matters of public assistance. Note: It will not help to go to the credit reporting agency. They only report the facts.

Answer 2

Sorry to hear about your situation. The first thing to know is that if it is on your credit report, it is there for 7 years and no matter what you do, it will stay there.

The second thing is that every time you make a payment, the 7 years starts all over.

Call the hospital and see if they will agree to remove the collection and negative entry from all three credit bureaus in exchange for a payment plan. If so get the agreement in writing.

If not, leave the debt alone and stop making payments. (Everytime you make a payment the 7 year cycle starts again, so you are continuing to hurt your credit score.) The negative entry will age and the negative effects on the credit score will start to go away after a couple of years.

Answer 3

You need to apply for county or state assistance and prove indigency. If you cannot and are able to pay then it must be paid. You will be treated as someone who is neglecting paying the bill.

What you must do, if you cannot prove indigency, is contact the hospital and arrange a reasonable payment plan. It is important that you get the terms in writing and also have them agree to report your 'on-time' payments to the credit bureau so that it can have a positive impact on your credit score.

Have all agreements sent to you in writing so you can have proof if needed in the future.

Answer 4

Some hospitals have a program to help with medical bills before they get out of hand ,sometimes they have a few beds reserved for these situations (but you probably are to far gone for this benefit) it may help if you add a note to your credit report explaining your situation, keep making your payments on time and some credit granters will take this into consideration.....

Answer 5

They usually overlook medical accounts for FHA loans. I recommend Smart Choice Mortgage. They do business in most states and are your best opportunity for someone to say yes. Check out the free evaluation form at the source website and a Smart Choice loan officer will contact you within 24 hours. Good luck.

Answer 6

The collection agencies or the hospital, whatever, have every right to list that on your credit report. They don't care how or why it happened. All they care about is that you pay them and pay them now.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

Credit reporting companies don't care at all why you are late..thet just report that you are.

Answer 9

Can medical bills that are seriously past due allowed to affect your credit score?

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