A credit/collections question

[flex]

I received a call about the bill I owe from my ER trip in February (broken rib).  While I was talking to the lady about getting the bill paid off (which is in my budget for the next couple weeks), she mentioned that there's a bill in 2006 under my name with a $400 price tag.  

I'm like "WTF???  What is the bill for??"  Turns out its the balance due for a bill for DS#3 from 2006.  My ex-dh is responsible for any of #3's medical bills as part of our divorce decree.  Ex-dh has no health insurance so #3 is under mine until age 26.  
We've been divorced for 11 years now.

A few questions:

• So even though it's ex's responsibility, the collection place has the bill listed under my name even though I've never received the billing.  Is this something that will be reported on my credit report?
• If it is, I have yet to see it on my credit report.  Wouldn't it have been reported by now since it's been 7 years?
  
• Or is the collection agency just blowing smoke to see if I'll pay it?  

[flex]

WELL???

[Booze Raccoon]

Is it your exH's responsibility directly or does he send you $$ to pay whatever bills your son has? I would think if things are in your name then it will go against your credit. If not, then I think they are just telling you about it and hoping you'll pay it off.

But this is a guess, I don't actually know anything about it.

[leeann]

Do you know if the claim was timely filed with XH's insurance? If it was never filed, the provider usually has to eat it. I know that is technically XH' issue/concern, but most carriers have an 18 month limit for timely filing. After that, the provider is SOL.

[hopecounts]

Yes if you are listed as the responsible party it'll go on your credit report.
Pay it and get 2 copies of the receipt and send it certified to your XH with a note reminding him that he is responsible for DS2 medical bills and a timeline for paying you back.
If he fails to do so take him to court.
In future make sure your EX is listed as the responsible party (should be in the paperwork for intake, I had to do this for my medical stuff after my parents Divorce.)for any medical expenses (speak with billing if necessary)

I would also check with the hospital to confirm that it is unpaid and that it just wasn't paid later.

[flex]

Jul 18, 2013 16:12:00 GMT -5 hopecounts said:

Yes if you are listed as the responsible party it'll go on your credit report.
Pay it and get 2 copies of the receipt and send it certified to your XH with a note reminding him that he is responsible for DS2 medical bills and a timeline for paying you back.
If he fails to do so take him to court.
In future make sure your EX is listed as the responsible party (should be in the paperwork for intake, I had to do this for my medical stuff after my parents Divorce.)for any medical expenses (speak with billing if necessary)

I'm not listed as the responsible party--I don't think.  XH is the one who would have taken him in for the appointment and would have been listed as the party being billed.  But thank you for the information.  I'll look into this.  : )

[flex]

Jul 18, 2013 16:11:06 GMT -5 leeann said:

Do you know if the claim was timely filed with XH's insurance? If it was never filed, the provider usually has to eat it. I know that is technically XH' issue/concern, but most carriers have an 18 month limit for timely filing. After that, the provider is SOL.

XH doesn't have health insurance--he's self-employed.

[MrsAxilla]

Jul 18, 2013 16:07:57 GMT -5 mekiakoo said:

Can you call the collection agency and see if you can have it challenged (not sure what the right word is)?

Eta, first see if you can find this on your credit report. If its not there, ignore it.

Ditto.  If it's not on your credit report, ignore it. If it suddenly shows up, dispute it.  

[hopecounts]

Jul 18, 2013 16:13:15 GMT -5 flex said:

Jul 18, 2013 16:12:00 GMT -5 hopecounts said:

Yes if you are listed as the responsible party it'll go on your credit report.
Pay it and get 2 copies of the receipt and send it certified to your XH with a note reminding him that he is responsible for DS2 medical bills and a timeline for paying you back.
If he fails to do so take him to court.
In future make sure your EX is listed as the responsible party (should be in the paperwork for intake, I had to do this for my medical stuff after my parents Divorce.)for any medical expenses (speak with billing if necessary)

I'm not listed as the responsible party--I don't think.  XH is the one who would have taken him in for the appointment and would have been listed as the party being billed.  But thank you for the information.  I'll look into this.  : )

Also if it is on your credit report I believe you should be able to challenge it using the Divorce Decree and have it removed.
and in case you didn't see what I added I'd call the hospital and check with them to confirm that it is unpaid and your DH just wasn't late in settling it and when they looked it up they saw it.

[speckledfrog]

I wouldn't pay it unless it was on my credit report. I think they're hustling you.

[kailamc2]

Normally medical bills do not affect your credit but you may want to ask the collection agency to be certain. Also, credit/collections don't care about any divorce agreements from the court if your name is on it they will still come after you. As long as they didn't take you to court to pay the bill then you should have nothing to worry about. Only thing you can do regarding your ex paying it, is pay it and then take him to court for contempt for not paying as agreed. I worked in collections for over 5 years, although not medical bills, I know a little about it.

[sparkythelawyer]

Have you run your credit report? It might not even be there.

[leeann]

Jul 18, 2013 16:13:48 GMT -5 flex said:

Jul 18, 2013 16:11:06 GMT -5 leeann said:

Do you know if the claim was timely filed with XH's insurance? If it was never filed, the provider usually has to eat it. I know that is technically XH' issue/concern, but most carriers have an 18 month limit for timely filing. After that, the provider is SOL.

XH doesn't have health insurance--he's self-employed.

Damn, sorry - can you tell the collection agency/provider that this is his court ordered responsibility and give them his contact info and ask that your name be removed from the account?

[flex]

I ran my reports just now and it's not being reported. Which I had suspected because I looked at them last year and I didn't recall seeing that type of a bill.

And I did tell her it was court-ordered. She said she's going to mail me a copy of it so I can look it over. I offered to give her his contact information and she told me that she couldn't follow up on it anyway.

[MrsAxilla]

Jul 18, 2013 17:25:34 GMT -5 flex said:

I ran my reports just now and it's not being reported. Which I had suspected because I looked at them last year and I didn't recall seeing that type of a bill.

And I did tell her it was court-ordered. She said she's going to mail me a copy of it so I can look it over. I offered to give her his contact information and she told me that she couldn't follow up on it anyway.

What month was your kid born?  Your seven years might not be up yet....

[WOT?*]

The seven years is almost up. Don't talk to them, offer to pay the bill or anything else. It's not your bill and not your responsibility. It falls off the report at seven years if you don't do anything. If you do (and even the conversation today might restart the clock) they can roll it for another seven years. If it shows up, challenge it as not your debt.

[flex]

Jul 18, 2013 17:31:45 GMT -5 MrsAxilla said:

Jul 18, 2013 17:25:34 GMT -5 flex said:

I ran my reports just now and it's not being reported. Which I had suspected because I looked at them last year and I didn't recall seeing that type of a bill.

And I did tell her it was court-ordered. She said she's going to mail me a copy of it so I can look it over. I offered to give her his contact information and she told me that she couldn't follow up on it anyway.

What month was your kid born?  Your seven years might not be up yet....

My son was born in 1993.  lol

She said the bill was from 2006--not sure the month.

[flex]

Jul 18, 2013 17:38:45 GMT -5 WOT?* said:

The seven years is almost up. Don't talk to them, offer to pay the bill or anything else. It's not your bill and not your responsibility. It falls off the report at seven years if you don't do anything. If you do (and even the conversation today might restart the clock) they can roll it for another seven years. If it shows up, challenge it as not your debt.

She told me that since I was disputing that particular bill that she wouldn't bring up any more in conjunction with the billing we were discussing that I owed in February.  I did tell her in no uncertain terms (in a very nice way) that it wasn't my bill and I was not responsible for it.

[kcr1972]

Unless you contest it in writing, they won't listen. I am ashamed to admit I am a former debt collector.
Most of the time if you dispute in writing they don't even take the time to confirm the debt is yours, they just let it go.

[MrsAxilla]

Jul 18, 2013 22:19:45 GMT -5 flex said:

Jul 18, 2013 17:31:45 GMT -5 MrsAxilla said:

What month was your kid born?  Your seven years might not be up yet....

My son was born in 1993.  lol

She said the bill was from 2006--not sure the month.

Lol! I just assumed it was for a birth.  Anyway, ditto MrsBPO exactly.  Lay low until the end of the year.  You don't want them to try and restart the clock now that they've 'found' you! 

[flex]

Jul 18, 2013 22:25:42 GMT -5 kcr1972 said:

Unless you contest it in writing, they won't listen. I am ashamed to admit I am a former debt collector.
Most of the time if you dispute in writing they don't even take the time to confirm the debt is yours, they just let it go.

No need to be ashamed lol  It's good that I have some inside information.  May I PM you?

[kcr1972]

Jul 18, 2013 22:32:28 GMT -5 flex said:

Jul 18, 2013 22:25:42 GMT -5 kcr1972 said:

Unless you contest it in writing, they won't listen. I am ashamed to admit I am a former debt collector.
Most of the time if you dispute in writing they don't even take the time to confirm the debt is yours, they just let it go.

No need to be ashamed lol  It's good that I have some inside information.  May I PM you?

Sure