Discount in hospital collection?

I always tell the collection agency I will not deal with them. Then I call the business and ask them to switch the account back to them. Once in a while, this will work because the creditor knows that the debtor is irate in being contacted by a stranger. If this doesn't work, I save the bills from the collection agency, make copies and fax to the original creditor. Sometimes the collection agency tries to add interest. One time, one even said they would remove it. They lied. Never pay the collection agency any interest. Just what the "principal" is, i.e, what one owed prior to the creditor submitting to a collection agency. Hope this helps. I think most of us have been offended by the leeches known as collection agencies. I feel strongly that they have no right to exist as an entity allowed to conduct business.

I don't think you can generalize on hospitals. My ex-wife couldn't pay but they didn't do anything. I paid them off gradually. I once broke my wrist and the emergency room wanted $894!! I was livid. They took me to court. As far as I know, they won. I had to work, so didn't show. I sent the hospital $600 {not the collection agency} when money started coming in and never was mailed a receipt. No more bills ever came in. Kind of wish I had only sent half.

They will settle, remeber they bought that debt for pennies on the dollar. I would try to settle at 50% and see what they come back with. I had a hospital bill and told the hospital I could only pay half and tehy accepted so I do not see any reason a collection agency wouldn't. Remember hospitals typically over charge anyway.

http://creditcardwarehouseonline.com/

You can try, but they're unlikely to go for it. Make sure you have it in writing from them BEFORE YOU PAY any agreed settlement. I had something like that once, wherein the hospital accepted a fifty percent offer and then kept coming after me for the rest anyway. (Fortunately I had covered my bases and was able to prove to their lawyers that they had indeed accepted a settlement.)

More important, try to negotiate a "pay for delete" agreement to delete the collection from your credit record. Make sure everything is in writing.