Ash1978 Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 collections agencies so called validation today, and I'm not sure what I'm looking at. They sent me about 12 pages of what looks like a simple print screen of every time my son had went to the doctor, and have one section circled, with a star by it. So I'm guessing that this must be the account that I was asking the DV for. It really doesn't explain anything that I asked for in my DV letter. In fact, it just confuses me. I'm thinking that maybe the CA just called the OC and OC just printed out everytime that my son had went to the doctor, and faxed it to the CA. It has a bunch of medical lingo on there but I don't know what it means. Can the OC just fax over my sons stuff to them like that? I mean, the stuff they faxed to the CA has my SS#, my husband, and my sons SS#'s on there, along with all my sons medical visits to the docoor. Would this be considered validation? It really doesn't explain anything at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash1978 Posted July 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 Here's what the circled section of what they sent me looks like. I cleaned it up. It makes no sense to me at all. the amounts don't add up, and I have no idea how they came up with those amounts. Plus, I had insurance at the time which should have paid the full amount of the bill, but for some reason only paid some of it. My Sons Name Total Amount - $72.00Dr LodenOffice/Outpatient Visit - $382.90Additional D - $558.90Otitis Media & GastroRECEIPTS: 05/18/01 - Payment / Aetna - $33.6006/14/01 - Deductible - $30.0006/14/01 - Co - Ins - $8.4006/20/01 - BAD DEBT WRITE OFF - $80.40 / $24.0004/10/02 - REINSTATE BAD DEBT - $24.0004/10/02 - PAYMENT FROM FCS (Collections) - $ 24.00Oh and the total amount they say I owe doesn't even match the amount that the CA has listed on my credit reports. What should I do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash1978 Posted July 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 Geez, I know I'm asking a lot of questions, but I just noticed something on what the sent me. On the dates I posted above. The first date they have is 05/18/01, and then it shows on 06/20/01 that they wrote it off as bad debt. Damn, they didn't give me long to pay it. How do I even know that 05/18/01 is even the date that my son went to the doctor?Also I noticed that the have on there " REINSTATE BAD DEBT - $24.00" What does that mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SecretAgentWoman Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 Looking at the above:05/18/01 - Payment / Aetna - $33.60 >> This is the date your insurance made their payment, not the date your son saw the doctor.06/20/01 - BAD DEBT WRITE OFF - $80.40 / $24.00 >> We can assume this is within the ballpark range of 1-2 months of your DOFD.Based on the above, the collection account only has until approximately 05/2008 to be on your credit report. I wouldn't pay a dime. (Be glad you don't live in Ohio!) Send a C&D and wait for them to fall off, if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtguy Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 As a CPA, I can say that if I were to audit this original creditor, I would look very hard at bad debt write-offs of less than 180 days. This is because a doctors office usually could not conclude that a debt is uncollectible until that time.With regard to whether a medical provider can release your son's bill payment history and SSN--absolutely they can. Since HIPPA came into effect, I can almost guarantee that that medical provider has a HIPPA-compliant business agreement in place with the CA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash1978 Posted July 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 I agree about them writing the debt off as bad so soon. So is what they sent me considered validation? The stuff they sent me doesn't give me anything that I ask for. And for some reason, I want to say that the actual time my son went to the doctor was in 2000, not 2001. How can I find out the actual date that he was seen?Why is the amount on what they sent me different than the amount saying I owe on my credit reports? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash1978 Posted July 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 Do you guys think what they sent me is enough proof of validation? They didn't prove to me half the stuff that I asked for in the validation letter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isislc Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 My Sons Name Total Amount - $72.00Dr LodenOffice/Outpatient Visit - $382.90Additional D - $558.90Otitis Media & GastroRECEIPTS: 05/18/01 - Payment / Aetna - $33.6006/14/01 - Deductible - $30.0006/14/01 - Co - Ins - $8.4006/20/01 - BAD DEBT WRITE OFF - $80.40 / $24.0004/10/02 - REINSTATE BAD DEBT - $24.0004/10/02 - PAYMENT FROM FCS (Collections) - $ 24.00I can tell you right now, this IS a HIPPA violation. The section I highlighted includes what medical condition he was there for, which is a middle ear infection and possibly diarrhea (gastro). The OC has clearly violated HIPPA law by providing his medical condition and sending it back to you. Follow the instructions to this special medical dispute letter. Make sure you go and check with insurance to make sure you were even billed and it was received by your insurance correctly. If not, that should help take care of part of the problem. If what is left, you can afford to pay, follow the instructions in the attachment included here. Don't stop there, since they have clearly violated your HIPPA rights, file a complaint with the HIPAA administration for the OC's violation of the privacy rules of HIPAA,and with any available State's Medical Privacy Act administration. I work in the Health Care system so I know you have a case here. Make sure you send them a copy of the validation they sent you when you make the complaint and highlight where it shows you're sons medical condition. Once the dust has settled and you get your last validations/verifications. If they aren't to your satisfaction, follow up with an ITS letter along with the copy of the complaints filed with HIPAA administration and the State's Medical Privacy Act administration. Oh, and so sorry I had to point out what was wrong with your son as showing how they violated HIPPA. My apologies but I hope this will help and actually get you some money in return. Just follow the information in the links.http://www.whychat.5u.com/hipltr.htmlhttp://whychat.5u.com/hipaaleg.html/#legal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeyechick1219 Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 Whenever I've requested DV on a medical bill and they sent me that sort of documentation, I've written back and stated something to the effect of, "Without my signature, I can not be certain that this is my debt." Usually that's when they close the account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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