Note: The DearEsq free 'ask a lawyer' site is offered as a free informational service to the public and is not intended as legal advice. Laws vary from state-to-state, and in addition every situation is unique, and relevant facts may not be known. The answer to the question posed below may not apply to in your state or to your situation. For legal advice in your state and your situation you should consult with an attorney in your state who is familiar with the rules and laws in your state.
“I have medicial bills from the hospital that is left from what my insurance did not cover. I am making monthly payments. Sometimes it is hard to come up with the full amount, if all I send in to the billing dept A of the hospital A is ten dollars ,does that not still have me making an attempt to pay this bill. Not trying to ignore the fact that I owe this ,just sometimes some months are harder then others to make the full amount required. My question is, if that is all I have to make for the payment does that give the hospital billing dept. the right to call and tell me that they are turning me over to collections? And do medicial bills go against your credit score??”They can call when you do not make the payment in full. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act of 1977, there are rules they must follow. A collector may contact you in person, by mail, telephone, telegram or fax. They may not contact you at inconvenient times or places (for example before 8AM or after 9PM), unless you agree. If calls at work are bothering you, you can get that to stop. They also cannot harass you. This means they can’t threaten violence or bodily harm, use obscene language, call repeatedly just to annoy you, lie, send you documents that look official that are not, and other harassing activity.
Question: Turning it to collections would be within their rights if you do not make the payment. Unpaid or late paid bills, including medical bills, can go against a person on their credit score.
