Debt Collectors
By Paige Zapata
@pagetolv03 (131)
Gladewater, Texas
April 4, 2016 10:51am CST
I paid my medical bill on time & in full but now they are saying I still owe them $100. I keep a paper trail of my payments so I don't over pay. I don't like paying what I don't owe. I faxed them info on my payments that I made & they are still saying I owe $100. This is been going on about two months now. Any suggestions?
3 people like this
8 responses
@carfuji (7)
• United States
4 Apr 16
Hmmm...I would just keep calling the billing department until it is resolved. Ask for a supervisor too. I'm not sure how they wouldn't be able to see that you made your payments. Sounds a bit shady to me honestly. Keep on it. They probably are banking on you giving up and just paying it anyway.
2 people like this
@pagetolv03 (131)
• Gladewater, Texas
4 Apr 16
@carfuji my fiancé saying the same thing. I ain't paying them any more money. I called them several times & they called me back with the same run around saying I still owe $100. I am going to keep on trying the best I can. They ain't getting this last $100 that I don't owe. It was shady. How can it clear my account on my credit card but not clear on their computer.
1 person likes this
@carebear29 (31970)
• Wausau, Wisconsin
4 Apr 16
They call me all the time but I ignore the calls. Thats what voice mail is for
@carebear29 (31970)
• Wausau, Wisconsin
4 Apr 16
@pagetolv03 I hate when that happens then. Good luck
@pagetolv03 (131)
• Gladewater, Texas
4 Apr 16
They call me to tell me that they haven't fixed the problem.
1 person likes this
@rusty2rusty (6763)
• Defiance, Ohio
5 Apr 16
I had that happen to me before. I ended up getting a lawyer involved. It was worth it to pay the lawyer in the long run. As it will stop others from trying the same. They know you pay. That is why they are still going after you. It is a dirty trick by debt collectors.
@celticeagle (168420)
• Boise, Idaho
4 Apr 16
It is very smart of you to keep a paper trail and keep logs of conversations and such too. If you have proof that you have paid the bill in it's entirety then I would write them a letter informing them of this. Did you see the doctor again and their might be new charges past the date of the bill you are wondering about?
@celticeagle (168420)
• Boise, Idaho
5 Apr 16
@pagetolv03 ....I have had pretty much the same thing happen to me.
@pagetolv03 (131)
• Gladewater, Texas
4 Apr 16
I did see the doctor again for this particular bill this bill was sent to a collection agent when I first started paying for it because I had to made partical payments due to the amount of the very original bill.
1 person likes this
@yukimori (10148)
• United States
4 Apr 16
If you're dealing directly with the office that issued the bill, I would call them directly and ask them to go over each and every payment that was made on the account to find out where the discrepancy is. If you have a copy of the original bill, I'd also have them verify that the starting balance matches what you were billed.
If it's gone to a collection agency, mail them a certified letter telling them they are to immediately send you written proof of the alleged debt. The burden of proof is on the debt collector, not on you.
This comes straight from a relative who has worked in collections for decades. He says that no primary lender or debt collection company will spend the time or money to do what you've instructed them to do. They have to cease communication and attempts to collect the debt until they obtain verification and mail it to you, so if they can't validate it they have to drop it.
@pagetolv03 (131)
• Gladewater, Texas
4 Apr 16
I talked to them and the discrepancy is with the last three payments made from 3 different accounts for one bill. I paid $100 from one account, then $150 from other account which these two payments they got post but the last $100 that was paid on the same day was not post but cleared my account that it was paid from. I even faxed them information to so proof of what I was paying for.
@yukimori (10148)
• United States
4 Apr 16
@pagetolv03 Okay, at this point I would call your bank and have them reverse that payment transaction, then send the office a letter.
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing regarding account number ______. On [date] the remaining balance of $350 billed to the aforementioned account was satisfied with three payments from separate accounts. Two payments were made in the amount of $100 each; the third transaction was processed for $150. The confirmation numbers I received for these payment transactions are [list confirmation numbers if you have them].
According to your office, one of the two payments for $100 was not properly credited to my account. As the amount was correctly withdrawn from my bank account after I made the payment, I have contacted my bank and asked them to reverse the transaction. I apologize for the hassle this will cause your office, but feel it is necessary because repeatedly faxing proof that this account has been paid in full has not led to the resolution of this matter. When the funds are returned to my account by the bank, I will contact your office to resubmit the payment.
Sincerely,
You
I've had to do that with a medical office once before... it was kind of comical how threatening to initiate a chargeback against them lit a fire under their behinds. Hopefully they'll find the missing payment and properly credit it to your account, but if not I'd insist that they send you a document showing it's paid in full after this, or maybe even go make the payment in person so there's no issues.
@hellopeeps (403)
• United States
4 Apr 16
Take the bill that you owe $100 and send on the back your insurance information. Then your proof that you paid this bill and send to billing.
@pagetolv03 (131)
• Gladewater, Texas
4 Apr 16
my insurance had already paid their portion of the original bill. I was paying partial payments because I couldn't afford the original bill. Then it went to a debt collector & I keep up with all the bills & even faxed the debt collector proof that I full paid the bill off.
