Medical debt in collections

What does Medical debt in collections mean on a medical bill?

An unpaid medical balance can be handed or sold to a collection agency, which then contacts you instead of the hospital. The amount that shows up there is only as good as the bill behind it, and disputed or wrongly coded charges travel along with everything else. Collectors respond to a written request to validate the debt, and putting a dispute in writing creates the record that phone calls do not. Rules on how medical debt is reported have changed in recent years and differ from other kinds of debt, so check current rules rather than assuming.

What should I watch out for with Medical debt in collections?

• Ask the collector in writing to validate the debt before sending any payment
• Compare the amount in collections against the itemized bill and the EOB for that visit
• Tell the hospital you are applying for financial assistance, since accounts are sometimes paused during review