Collections agency and medical bills? Please help.?

If a collection agency already has it, then it is too late to keep it from hitting your credit report. Even if you clear it up today, it will go on your credit report. The only way to keep something from going onto your credit report is to get it paid before the collection agency gets it. Once a collection agency has it, it will go on your credit report. Everyone with a credit report has at least three different credit reports, and sometimes more. When you check through Transunion, that only tells you that one of your credit reports does not have it. Your other two credit reports might have it. If a collection agency told you on the phone that none of your credit reports have it, that means that at least one of your other credit reports probably has it, because collection agencies usually do not tell the truth on the telephone. If two reps told you, then it is almost definitely on one or more of your other credit reports, because it is very unlikely that a collection agency would have two reps who both told the truth. In any case, if the insurance company agrees to pay it now, then it will go on your credit report, because it is already too late for anyone to keep it off your credit report by paying now. A credit report is a report on whether things are paid on time or they are not paid on time. Even if it gets paid now, it will not be on time, so it will go on your credit report.

It's wrong to "assume" anything, especially when it comes to finances. Odds are, it's way too late to do anything about it now, except pay the bill. The hospital can only send the bill to the home address you listed on your paperwork - they aren't as clever - or interested - in finding out your current address, as a collection agency is. I highly doubt the insurance paid nothing - you can't get into an ER for $395 - this is most likely your deductible and copay. The insurance also would have sent you statements showing how much you paid. Doctors aren't in the practice of chasing down the people who owe them money. That's what they hire collection agencies for. The only way to avoide the collection agency putting this on your record, is to pay the bill before it gets that far. Very, very rarely, does insurance "fully cover" anything.

Medical collections is big business for collection agencies. Many specialize in collecting for hospitals, doctors, etc. Their first order of business is always looking to collect from the insurance carrier, because that's where the money is. Collection agency employ people who do nothing but call insurance carriers to re-file claims - work with them. Many people who have unexpected medical events don't have the capacity to pay left over medical bills, and collectors know this. Your priority is to get the explanation of benefits from your insurance carrier. That spells out what was billed by the hospital, what was paid by the insurer, and what amounts are owed by you if any. Most insurance carriers have online systems that allow you to access these reports if you didn't keep the paper copies. Or call and ask for a copy. Proceed accordingly.