r/Debt • u/Complex_Gas1109 • 16h ago
Medical bill in collections. -$4,000
I just received a letter from a debt collector regarding an unpaid medical bill of around $4,000. Right now, I can’t afford to pay that amount.
I have a few questions: • What are my options if I can’t pay at all? • Will this already affect my credit score, and what happens if I ignore it? • If I pay it off later, will it be removed from my credit report or just marked as “paid”?
I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences from others who have dealt with this
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u/joellt 13h ago
I recently had a medical bill reduced from $6900 to $350. Don’t ignore it call and ask if they can offer any kind of charity care or reduced billing based on income.
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u/Billflet 11h ago
This is good advice. I had a similar experience. They have a person in the billing dept. who handles hardship cases.
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u/Same-Spray7703 16h ago
I worked for a dentist in California, and we were not allowed to send a person to collections of they made any payments. Some owed 1000s and would just pay $10 a month because as long as they paid something, it showed "good faith." Not sure if this helps you but I wonder if you can afford a small amount a month if it would work for you.
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u/foxxy_roxxy 14h ago
thats what ive been doing on my er bills for 3 years ago. i pay 20 bucks a month and they still haven't sent it to collections
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u/NeoAndersonReoloaded 13h ago
Just pay $10 a month in good faith. After a year tell them u got $500 to end it. Theyll take it. I been there
Or write a check and in the memo put paid in full see if they cash it. If so its paid in full😹
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u/Significant_Flan8057 16h ago
How long ago did the medical procedure or services actually occur? Not talking about the bills, just wondering about when you actually incurred the charges. Also, have all of the insurance bills gone through/been processed?
Just want to make sure this is the actual amount of money that you owe, for sure. Next, I would call the debt collector and see if they own the debt or if it’s still owned by the original creditor. Most of the time unless it is gears and years and years past due, it is still sitting with the original creditor. In which case you want to call the hospital or medical provider and make direct payment arrangements with them. Do not make payment arrangements with the debt collection agency, unless they actually own the debt.
If that’s the case, they bought it for pennies on the dollar, then you can negotiate the total balance way down with them
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u/Pfblues1 16h ago
I don’t need to worry about medical bills where I’m at in life now but many years ago when I did, I just paid as I could. Don’t ignore it and pay every month. Chances are they won’t come after you if you do that
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u/easterbunny01 15h ago
You have two options: be me or be my ex: I successfully communicated with the hospital billing department and, as a result of my financial harship, was exempt from making any payments. In contrast, my ex neglected to pay, result in the hospital assigning the debt to their collection agency.
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u/Business_Rabbit6973 15h ago
I’m a bill collector you can call the collection agency and negotiate the amount and a promise to make monthly payments. Talk to the manager and write that persons name down and if they can instantly remove from your credit report. I’m thinking $2800 or less. In your balance negotiations. Best of luck keep us posted. Thank you
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u/RockingUrMomsWorld 10h ago
If you cannot pay the four thousand dollar medical bill you can negotiate a payment plan, settlement, or ask the provider for financial assistance. Once in collections it likely affects your credit score, and ignoring it can lead to more fees or legal action. Paying later usually marks the account as paid or settled but does not remove it unless you negotiate a pay for delete.
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u/Mysterious-Art8838 9h ago
And in a worst case scenario they could garnish wages. I have never heard of anyone actually having to deal with garnishment for medical bills.
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u/Fromthepast77 9h ago
What are my options if I can't pay at all?
With debt in the USA, you can 1) pay, 2) settle it for less/payment plan with the creditor 3) do nothing and let the creditor sue you and ask for a wage garnishment and asset seizure 4) declare bankruptcy.
Will this already affect my credit score, and what happens if I ignore it?
Your credit score is already done for if a debt collector is contacting you; missed payments immediately tank it. If you ignore the debt, the creditor may sue you, but it may also decide that you're not worth the effort and do nothing. I routinely received mail for the previous tenant from Chase bank begging for any kind of payment and it included "we will not sue you for this debt". So some places just write it off and after 7 years it drops off the credit report.
If I pay it off later, will it be removed from my credit report or just marked as "paid"?
Usually, it's just marked as "paid" or even "paid for less" if you settled for it. While these are not as derogatory as totally unpaid debt, they're enough to tank your credit score into subprime territory, so in general I wouldn't say that they're useful. There are some (usually smaller, sketchier lenders) who will do "pay for delete" - i.e. they'll tell the credit reporting agency that there was an error, but note that this is against the credit reporting agencies' terms of service.
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u/ethan101010 2h ago
contact the original hospital/provider to see if they have financial assistance programs, many will reduce or eliminate bills based on income...
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u/6104638891 54m ago
They can bo longer hold medical bills against u when u apply for credit after a while they drop of or r resold thrn u can dispute it &most times then they disappear
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u/6104638891 50m ago
Other thing u can fo if its a hospital is apply for hospital assistance they may give u assistance from 10 to 100 percent based on your income &bills that would wipe some or all of the balance off
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u/gms_fan 16h ago
Have you spoken to the hospital or provider? A hospital, for example, has someone in their financial office who handles things like this.