How to Dispute Medical Bills on Your Credit Report
Contents
How to Dispute Medical Bills on Your Credit Report. You have the right to dispute any medical bills that are on your credit report.
Checkout this video:
Check your credit report for errors
The first step in disputing a medical bill on your credit report is to check the report for errors. You can get a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — once every 12 months at AnnualCreditReport.com.
If you find an error on your credit report, you can file a dispute with the credit reporting agency. The agency will then investigate and, if they find that the information is inaccurate, they will remove it from your report.
You can also dispute medical bills directly with the creditor. If you do this, be sure to send your dispute in writing and include any supporting documentation. The creditor will then have 30 days to investigate your dispute. If they find that the bill is accurate, they will send you a notice explaining why and the bill will remain on your credit report.
Find the original creditor
The first step in disputing a medical bill on your credit report is to find the original creditor. If you have a copy of the bill, it will likely list the creditor’s name and contact information. If you don’t have a copy of the bill, you can find the creditor’s information by looking at your credit report.
Once you have the creditor’s contact information, you will need to gather any documentation that you have regarding the bill. This may include insurance statements, doctor’s notes, or Hospital bills. Any documentation that you have that can help to explain why the bill is in dispute will be helpful.
With all of your documentation in hand, you will need to contact the original creditor and explain that you are disputing the bill. Be sure to include any documentation that you have to support your dispute. The original creditor may require that you pay a portion of the bill while your dispute is being processed.
If you are unable to reach an agreement with the original creditor, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). You can also file a dispute with the credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax) online or by mail.
Gather documentation
The first step is to get organized. Gather all the documentation you have related to the disputed medical bill, including:
-Your credit report
-Billing statements from the creditor
-Correspondence between you and the creditor
-Any other relevant documentation
Once you have everything gathered, you’ll be able to start putting together your dispute.
Send a dispute letter to the credit bureau
If you find a medical bill on your credit report that you don’t think you owe, the first step is to send a dispute letter to the credit bureau. Include any documentation that you have that supports your dispute, such as a letter from your insurance company.
You can also send a dispute letter to the medical provider. Explain why you don’t think you owe the bill and ask them to remove it from your credit report. If they agree, they should notify the credit bureau and the bill will be removed.
If neither the credit bureau or the medical provider will remove the bill, you can try contacting a consumer law attorney or filing a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Send a dispute letter to the original creditor
The first step in disputing a medical bill on your credit report is to send a dispute letter to the original creditor. Be sure to include your full name, address, and account number, as well as a copy of the credit report with the inaccuracies circled. In your letter, explain why you are disputing the debt and request that it be removed from your credit report.
If you have any documentation to support your dispute (for example, if you have proof that you paid the bill or that the debt is not yours), be sure to include it with your letter. You should also include a return address so that the creditor can send you a response.
Once the creditor receives your dispute letter, they have 30 days to investigate the claim and respond. If they find that the debt is accurate, they will send you a notice telling you so, and the debt will remain on your credit report. However, if they find that the debt is inaccurate, they will notify all three credit reporting agencies and ask them to remove the debt from your credit report.
Wait for the results of your dispute
The credit reporting agency will investigate your dispute and will usually get back to you within 30 days. If the investigation finds that the medical bill is incorrect, the credit reporting agency will notify the medical provider and ask them to correct the information.
If the investigation does not find that the medical bill is incorrect, you will be notified by mail and the disputed information will remain on your credit report.
