I heard that med bills can't be counted towards credit scores. Is that true? What do I do about this mess?

Question

I owe money to Quest Diagnostics, a large company that does lab work. I have hypothyroidism and my dr was having me come in for several blood tests a year, at a point, as often as once a month, till the thyroid levels in my blood were steady and healthy & my meds seemed like the right dose for me. there were a few yearly physical exams w/ blood tests as well. Some visits I was uninsured others i was (when i got F/T hrs w/ benefits) but cuz I was diagnosed with my condition prior to joining, they wouldnt cover it (prediagnosis) for the first year of the plan. All occured over a few years, off the top of my hear I think the first visit was oct/nov 2004? First collections called a lot but i didnt answer & it just stopped one day. There was a while when I got letters by mail each one trying to sound more serious/threatening than the last. They didnt stop but slowed down tons. I need my debt total so I can plan payment.Bill says amount due for indiv visit. Sent separately but inconsistantly

Answer 1

Medical accounts do report but they "must" be coded in such a way that they are "only" reported as medical accounts.

Medical debts can be handled much differently than other types of accounts (credit cards, loans, etc)

Generally an original creditor does not "have" to provide a thing when a person requests information. Except for medical providers, they must send you a full accounting of your accounts if requested.

You should send a letter to the medical provider and request a full accounting. Send your letter certified mail return receipt.

You do have rights under HIPAA in having the account pulled back from the collectors but there are conditions to that.

One of those conditions would be that you have the right to contact the orginal medical provider and inform them that you are using your HIPAA rights.
By using your HIPAA rights when the account is yours, you had no insurance or insurance had paid their part etc., then you would have to pay the bill "in full" with that letter.

By law, after payment, the original medical provider must recall the account from the collector and demand the collector remove anything about you from their files and from your credit reports.

If it's possible to get a loan from your bank or credit union to pay the medical provider, that would probably be the best way to go.

You might click on my profile and do some reading in the last link I have listed. Go to the medical subforum and do some reading on HIPAA, original medical providers and collectors.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Unpaid bills that are turned over to collections do show up on your credit report.

Call Quest and speak to a supervisor if Joe Schmo who answers the phone can't or won't give you the information you need. Then, once you have your debt total, find out whom to address a payment plan to, and I would send it in writing - even if you make an agreement over the phone. (This will cover your *ss - in case whomever you made the deal with wasn't authorized to do it or tries to reneg on it. Mail it with a signature requested.)

Answer 4

If the medical bills are placed into collections, then they do show on your credit report and effect your score just like any other collection.

The first poster is correct, work out some kind of payment plan and stick with it. This collection activity will show on your credit for 7-years.

Answer 5

Yes, medical bills go on your credit report.

My advice would be to call the creditors and get a summary of all of your debts and find a realistic payment plan, even if it's $20 per month, then stick to it. Get a filing system and keep record of all of your account numbers and payments. Ignoring this won't make it go away.

Answer 6

They do count; you need to start credit repair. . Usually companies charge hundreds of dollars to simply pull your credit and send correctly worded dispute letters—this is the key…..people will tell you that you can do this yourself for free but the truth of the matter is that the credit bureaus will throw your letters away or simply reject them. There is an easy to use online kit that will deliver the results you want available for just $19.95 at the source website. A similar kit is being sold via infomercials and radio talk shows for seventy dollars more but they try to solicit you repeatedly for other services after the fact.

Answer 7

You need to check out this video on how to increase your credit score by using a 100% legal loophole. Here is the video URL: http://www.creditscoresecret.org

I was able to get to 595 from 489 in just one day and from 489 to 748 in just a few week; that's pretty fast in my book. Good luck!

Answer 8

Pull your credit report from all three bureaus (Equifax, TransUnion and Experian). You will be able to see how many of those medical accounts went to collections. If they are collections then they will have a negative impact on your score.

Answer 9

im sure they show up on your credit history, but i dont know if its counted against your score. youd have to ask a financial expert. i get my free credit report annually from all three credit bureaus. i think its called-www.myfreecreditreport.com.

Answer 10

They do count against your score but creditors put little weight on them..kr

Good Luck!