Medical Debt Collections

[rooster222]

I'm trying to sort out my grandmother's financials and she has 2 different medical debts in collections. I was trying to work with the hospitals, as they said she would qualify for reduced payment due to income. But, before I could get them all the required paperwork they sent them to collections.

Ideally, I'd like to settle at 10%, because that was what the hospital had mentioned. She owes about $4K. She lives in assisted living and is on a very tight budget, but $400 is doable. I just don't know the best course of action as I've never dealt with collections.

Any advice?

[chilerellanos]

I ran into this recently. Some of my daughter’s (she was living independently, but still a minor) bills went to collections.

I didn’t see the bills because they were sent to her, and i didn’t know about them until they went to collections and showed up on my Credit report.

I called them up, and offered to pay (and usually they accepted a much smaller amount) in agreement to delete from my credit report.

It worked on all of them! Good luck!

[Deleted]

If she is in assisted living.... at this point, does her credit even matter? What does she need good credit for at this point? If she doesn't need her credit then I'd just not pay.

I know for regular collections you can contact them, offer an amount and they usually accept it or negotiate a little higher. like previous poster said, make sure to negotiate it being removed.

[rooster222]

Feb 28, 2022 12:15:47 GMT -5 @lemonlover said:

If she is in assisted living.... at this point, does her credit even matter? What does she need good credit for at this point? If she doesn't need her credit then I'd just not pay.

I know for regular collections you can contact them, offer an amount and they usually accept it or negotiate a little higher. like previous poster said, make sure to negotiate it being removed.

I did have this same thought. I think I'd like to pay 10% just to have it resolved but no more.

[madringal]

Yup, I wouldn't pay it. Unless she has an estate that they will come after when she passes, there is no real benefit to paying it.