Question:
I have a bill from a hospital for services (a test) that I know for a
fact they did not run. Had they done so they would have found the blood
clot that was found two days later by another testing site.
I refused to pay and will continue to do so.
However, even having written to the hospital, and the first two or three
collection agencies they sold to, I still get letters from new agencies.
I have just been throwing them in the trash.
My question: If I respond to a new agency, does that start the 7 year
clock over again. It has been more than 7 years since this "service" was
supposedly provided and as I understand it, it should drop off my credit.
Input
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Answer:
-Does this issue actually appear on your credit record? If it does,
I suggest you write to the hospital's chief administrator and explain
in writing that defamation of character is a legally actionable offense
and the unless the problem is cleared up, you will take legal action.
-As long as it is in collections the file will exist beyond 7 years. At this
point even if the services are paid it will show up as a bad debt on the
report. Unfortunately, the burden of proof is on the debtor. However, you
tried this option? You signed a privacy agreement with the hospital.
Allegedly these new privacy agreements are suppose keep your medical
information private. If a hospital sends a bill to a collection agency they
are by default in violation of the privacy agreement because they have
shared your medical information with an outside agency. Use a policy they
are required to follow by law against them.
