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Expert: Regan Shinski - 10/26/2010


Question
Hello,

 My father was visiting from out of country and he had a heart attack. He was uninsured at that time. Hospital did recover him and I am every thankful for that. During his surgery, hospital asked me to sign some document which I did without looking.

 Now, hospital bill came very large for this surgery and they are giving 35% discount. I talked with hospital and they gave me 3 months to pay. In the mean time I got a call from collection agency and since my father was not living in united states, I got this call from international collection agency. They agreed to give 60% discount and send me everything in email stating that if 40% amount is paid it will be considered as paid in full.

 I still do receive the bill from my 35% agreement that I made with hospital, I really want to settle with this 60% discount, what should I do in this case ? Collection agency is asking me to pay 40% to hospital only.

 If this is the case, then will hospital accept 40% as a full ? Or, is collection agency guy is scamming me for the money ?

 Should I send cashier's check to hospital with the agreement I received from the collection agency ?

Thanks,
Janak

Answer
Hi Janak:

I think you are right to send the 40% and the letter to the HOSPITAL.  I would not send anything to the collection agency.  Enclose a letter that you deem this payment in full per the agreement.  This is assuming the papers you signed bound you legally to paying it.  Are you sure of this?  Otherwise, your father is solely responsible.

You will have to wait and see how they react at that point, but if the collection agency is acting as an agent of the hospital, you have an agreement and should be fine.  You may have to follow-up and make sure your credit was not adversely affected.

Also, I'm sure you would, but be sure to keep a copy of all letters and payments.  Things like this have a habit of coming back years from now and you need the proof of the agreement and payment.

Good luck,
Regan

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Regan Shinski

Expertise

I can answer questions on collections, repossessions, bankruptcy, credit repair, credit counseling, FICO scores, credit planning, and the cause and effect of credit related decisions. I can also answer questions on collection settlements and preparing to sue your creditors for false debts and credit credit reporting.

Experience

Fifteen years ago I was financially devasted due to severe health issues. I filed bankruptcy, had a foreclosure, car repossession, tax lien, and ruined credit. I immersed myself in credit law. I settled dozens of accounts and had them removed to improve my credit. I personally sued four creditors and collection agencies and won cash settlements for their false reporting on my credit reports. Since then, I have completely recovered and have nearly $100,000 in revolving credit lines and perfect credit. I have owned a credit repair company for the past five years and have an additional three years of specific work in the collections and debt management industry. I am fully versed in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Acts (FDCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and have used them successfully in collection settlements and lawsuits for myself and others. I am also familiar with and abide by the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA). I have deleted or helped delete literally hundreds and hundreds of derogatory items from consumers' credit reports and helped negotiate many settlements with collection agencies and creditors. I have also advised people on bankruptcy at any stage. In the current credit market, I have successfully advised numerous people on how to obtain credit and how to negotiate for better terms.

Education/Credentials
BA University of Minnesota

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