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Consumer Center

What To Do About Medical Bills?

February 10, 2022 by Consumer Center

No one is immune to medical bills, and even those with insurance can find themselves drowning in medical debt. Just one bad debt can cost you hundreds of dollars down the line and can haunt you for several years.

However, medical bills don’t have to be a constant worry in your life, and if you are worried about the bills affecting your credit, there are ways to deal with them.

How Do Medical Bills Affect Your Credit?

Different factors of medical bills can affect your credit in varying ranges. For example, a charge-off and bad debt can have a bigger impact on your credit than other factors. Let’s go over the main difference between the two.

A charge-off is when the company declares you owe them money, and they write it off by charging it against their income tax. This doesn’t mean that you don’t owe anything; it just means that they can’t do anything with you until you pay the entire balance or come to some payment agreement.

Bad debt is when the amount owed to the medical provider or other company has not been paid, but they haven’t written off your account as a loss.

Both charge-offs and bad debt account for 35% of a person’s credit rating and will affect your credit score the most. 

It boils down to knowing how much you owe compared to your available credit limit. If you maxed out on all of your cards, that would negatively affect your score. Even if you do not have over 50% utilization, having balances on many different accounts can hurt your credit rating.

How Long Do Medical Bills Stay On Your Credit Report?

A person with an established credit history will have a higher score than someone who just recently started being responsible about their bills. The longer you can maintain your account with no missed payments, the better your score will be.

But even if you can make payments over time, the unpaid balance will still show up on your credit report for seven years from when it went to collections.

This is called the “remaining balance” and is marked as a negative item on your credit report. However, it will not affect your score as much as an unpaid bill or collection account would.

Frequent late payments or the number of times you have been 30 days late on an amount can also affect how a medical bill affects credit scores.

If you have an otherwise good credit history, being 30 days late on a payment will have a relatively small negative impact on your score. You can negotiate this down to 60 or 90 days late if you are willing to call the creditor and explain your situation.

These findings show how important it is to prioritize repayment for patients struggling with multiple bills. If you can make payments on some of your medical debts, it will improve your score and make it easier to keep up with payments.

How Long Before Medical Bills Go To Collections?

Collection agencies are not health care providers, and their only concern is getting paid. Your medical bills go to collections when someone fails to pay them back on time or when your provider gives up on you.

You might receive letters and phone calls from third-party companies trying to collect your unpaid medical bills. So collection agencies are often the last resort you have if your account is over $500. Making sure that you stay on top of your bills will help keep your financial status from getting worse.

Every health provider has policies and usually waits anywhere from 60 days to 180 days before sending your debt to a collection agency. However, you have the option to reduce the cost of your hospital billing before it gets sent for debt recovery.

You may find a financial aid program to help you cover the bill. These programs are often funded by the government or local organizations.

Here are some tips that you may consider to get rid of every single medical bill that is still outstanding.

1. Be Proactive

You should be proactive and look for a payment plan to make the bill easier to manage. Make sure to contact your hospital first and inquire about their financial aid program. You may qualify if you cannot afford medical treatments or hospitalization costs, so don’t hesitate to ask for help!

If you are denied financial aid, extracting a lower bill settlement is the next option. If this does not work, then it’s time to look into debt settlement or proceed with contacting a collection agency for your hospital billing.

2. Contact a non-profit agency

Many agencies out there offer help to people struggling with medical debt. If you need assistance, make sure to contact one of these agencies and see if they can assist with your hospital bill.

You may get relief by contacting a non-profit agency specializing in medical collections. They will use every tool available to get your hospital bill down as much as possible, often by working with your local hospital and negotiating on your behalf.

The lower you start, the more wiggle room your agency will have to reduce your hospital bill even further. Once an agreement has been reached, you will be off the hook and settle your medical debt.

3. Consult with a reputable debt settlement agency

If you can’t afford to pay in full and don’t qualify for a payment plan or financial aid, then it’s time to call in the big guns! 

Consult with a reputable debt settlement agency that might help you reduce the cost of your hospital bills or set up a monthly payment plan that you can afford.

Don’t worry; plenty of agencies are out there willing to help you take care of your medical debt. It’s simply a matter of finding the one that will work best for you and your situation. And make sure not to take any verbal promises at face value because it could lead to many problems down the road.

4. Write an explanatory letter

Even if you don’t meet specific criteria, there is still some wiggle room to reduce hospital bills. Write an explanatory letter that justifies your inability to pay back on time or at all. 

Make sure to point out that the financial strain caused by paying for medical care made it impossible to settle your medical debt.

What Happens If You Don’t Pay Your Medical Bills?

The other possible outcomes of not paying medical bills include being sued by a creditor, having your wage garnished, or even losing your professional license.

While the medical bills may have been accrued during treatment for an illness or injury, it does not mean that creditors cannot file suit against you. It is important to determine whether exceptions exist for medical debts under your state’s law. 

Suppose you find yourself unable to make a payment on a medical bill that has gone into collections and has resulted in a warrant for your arrest or other court actions such as filing a suit against you. 

In that case, it is essential to determine whether you have options available to you before accruing more debt and damage to your credit score.

One way of avoiding the legal consequences of not paying medical bills is by filing for bankruptcy.

According to the American Bar Association, bankruptcy provides an opportunity to get rid of undesirable debts such as medical collections if income requirements are met. This allows individuals to get a fresh start by discharging obligations they are no longer required to pay.

Take Action Against Your Medical Bills Today

The last thing you want to do is sit around and hope that your medical bills magically disappear. There are many ways for people with piling debt to get back on track, but that all depends on the specific circumstances of their case.

If you face financial difficulties or are threatened legal action by debt collectors, reach out to an experienced bankruptcy attorney. Don’t wait until it is too late – act now before it ruins your financial future.

Filed Under: Bankruptcy

Tesla Lemon Law

March 3, 2020 by Consumer Center

Tesla is an electric vehicle manufacturer that is becoming more popular in the United States. One of their most popular model is the Tesla Model 3 and it has become of the best-selling vehicle. However, just like with any other vehicle manufacturer, its production process is prone to make mistakes during its assembly. When a consumer purchases a Tesla that experiences a defect that persists after multiple repair attempts by the manufacturer, the vehicle may be a lemon. If this is the case for you and your Tesla, speak with an experienced lemon law attorney to see if you have a potential case.

Tesla Issues Consumers Have Experienced

Some of Tesla’s models have experienced some issues that categorize them as a lemon vehicle. While Tesla is making efforts to improve their production process to ensure that these issues do not occur in new Tesla’s, some issues are still being reported with new models such as the Tesla Model S and  Tesla Model 3.

  • Shutdown while driving
  • Touch screen failure
  • Unintended acceleration
  • Memory problems
  • eMMC chip failure

These only cover some of Tesla’s issues. Your vehicle may still be a lemon if it is experiencing any defects that could not be fixed with repeated repairs.

Filed Under: Auto Fraud

My Identity Was Stolen

August 21, 2019 by Consumer Center

Here’s What A Credit Identity Theft Lawyer Can Do For You

1. Draft a Credit Dispute Letter
2. Sue Credit Reporting Agencies
3. Tell You How to Get a Free Credit Report
4. Give A Free Consultation
5. Fix Your Credit Identity Theft Problem
6. Give You Other Helpful Advice

1. Draft a Credit Dispute Letter

A Credit Dispute Letter Can Fix Your Identity Theft Problem and Tell You More About Your Credit Situation
A good credit dispute letter contains all inaccurate items on your credit report that you want fixed. When the credit reporting agencies receive your dispute letter, they have 30 days once receiving your credit dispute letter to investigate and take action accordingly. If they do not, your credit identity theft lawyer can take legal action against the agencies.

2. Sue Credit Reporting Agencies

If the Dispute Letter Doesn’t Fix Your Identity Theft Problem, Suing the Credit Reporting Agencies Should be Your Next Step
Your credit identity theft lawyer can sue the credit reporting agencies if they take no action or does not investigate accordingly to your dispute letter. The lawsuit will force the agencies to take action and fix your credit report and identity theft problems.

3. Tell You How to Get a Free Credit Report

There Are Ways That You Can Get A Free Credit Report. A Trusted Credit Report Attorney Can Tell You How
You can check your credit report for errors with a free credit report. There are many ways for you to get a credit report that are very affordable. It’s important to get a more recent copy of your credit report if you have not for a while in case the identity thief makes more purchases or open new credit under your name.

4. Give A Free Consultation

Getting Legal Advice and Input From A Credit Report Attorney Can Give You A Better Understanding of Your Situation.
Our network of credit report attorneys offer free consultation. This means that during your phone call with the attorney, you can ask questions and tell the attorney what your situation is, and the attorney would answer your questions and give you legal advice regarding your case. Even if they cannot take your case, you will at least know what your next steps will be.

5. Fix Your Credit Identity Theft Problem

Identity Theft Can Seriously Damage Your Credit. Identity Theft Lawyers Will Work With You To Get The Problem Solved Immediately
Our credit report attorneys understand how much of a threat credit identity theft can be. Once they speak with you and understand better of your situation, they will be able to offer you the next best course of action and what will happen once you hire them.

6. Give You Other Helpful Advice

There May Be Other Aspects That You Should Know About or Consider When Facing Identity Theft
There are many elements involved in recovering from an identity theft. You will need to take certain actions which require specific documents and paperwork to prove the identity theft and restore your credit. Speak to an attorney to learn more about your case. Our network attorneys offer free consultation.

Stolen Identity Help Free Consultation
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Filed Under: Credit Report Disputes

What is a Contingency Fee?

August 2, 2019 by Consumer Center

If you have a legal case and you’re looking for an attorney you have likely seen or heard them mention contingency fee agreements.

But what does that mean?

Essentially, it means that the lawyer does not get paid unless you do. According to the American Bar Association, the contingency fee definition is “a client who pays a lawyer only when their case is handled successfully.”

This often means that the client pays little to no money up front but is then promising to pay a certain percentage. Here’s an example with easy numbers.

An attorney takes your case on a 20% contingency fee basis and because of their work you are awarded $1000.

Since you agreed on the 20% lawyer contingency fee, you will take home $800, and your attorney will keep $200.

Every attorney and firm will have different requirements, minimums, and contingency fee structures, so be sure to seek out all the details before handing your case over to an attorney.

We can help connect you with an attorney. Fill out the form on this page or click HERE to see the list of our partners across the United States.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous

Chapter 11 Bankruptcy – Infographic

October 19, 2018 by Consumer Center

JLG Lawyers – Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Attorneys | Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 11 vs. Chapter 13

Filed Under: Bankruptcy

Background Checks

March 28, 2018 by Consumer Center

Sue Employers for Running Background Check Without Consent

Employers may sometimes request your credit and related personal information in the form of a “Background Check Report” either when you apply for a job or while you are currently employed. When requesting your information, employers must follow the guidelines in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

You may have the legal grounds to sue the employer if he or she ran a background check without consent.

Before employers can obtain your background information for employment purposes from the Credit Reporting Agencies (CRAs), they must certify that they did the following:

  • Obtained your written consent to background check
  • Provided you a copy of your background report and a written summary of your rights under the FCRA at least five (5) days before making an employment decisions about you.

The CRAs who pulled your background check must advise you a report has been requested on you.

It is important to note that an employer CANNOT make an employment decision based on the applicant’s or employee’s race, national origin, color, sex, religion, disability, genetic information, or age.

https://consumercr.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/sloantechHD4-1.mp4

 

Didn’t Get The Job Because Of An Illegal Background Check?
Call (818) 697-4295

 

Illegal Background Check Laws

Unlawful Background Check Without A Fair Notice


Before making an adverse action (turning down an applicant), the employer must give the applicant:

  • A notice that includes a copy of the report used to make the decision
  • A copy of “A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act” that the employer obtained the report from.

The early notice should give the applicant the opportunity to review the report to see if there are any inaccurate information.

 

Legal Background Check – Why Was I Rejected?

After the employer makes an adverse action based on the information in the background report, he or she must provide you an “adverse action notice” that lets you know:

  • If you were rejected because of the information in the report;
  • The name, address, and phone number of the company that sold the report;
  • That the company that sold the report did not make the hiring decision; and
  • That you have the right to dispute the accuracy or completeness of the report.

Applicants With A Criminal History…

The FCRA and other state & municipal laws protect employment applicants with a Criminal History:

FCRA Protection – 7 Year Background Check

  • CRAs may not report records of arrests that are more than 7 years old if no conviction resulted (unless the job salary is more than $75,000)
  • Convictions can be reported indefinitely
  • Admission of theft to an employer is NOT a criminal record

Pennsylvania Criminal History Act Protections

  1. Purpose – prevents hiring standards that screen out criminal offenses unless reasonably related to performance of the job duties.
  2. Any criminal history considered regarding an employment application must be “reasonably related“ to the job duties including:
    • Seriousness of the offense (drug offenses are considered serious broadly);
    • Age of the offense and the offender;
    • Blanket policy of excluding ex-offenders (e.g. black offenders excluded but not white offenders);
    • Summary offenses may not be considered for purposes of employment.

What a Legal Background Check Should Look Like in Philadelphia

  • NO questions about an applicant’s criminal history on an employment application or in an initial interview;
  • NO criminal background checks until after the employer makes a conditional job offer to an applicant;
  • Applies to employers with ten (10) or more employees;
  • Criminal background checks can be obtained back seven (7) years, excluding periods of incarceration;
  • If an applicant is rejected due to a criminal record:
    • Employer must so notify the applicant and send to the applicant a copy of the criminal history report;
    • Applicants then have ten (10) days to produce evidence that the report is inaccurate or to explain the criminal history;
    • Applicants who are rejected for positions on the basis of a criminal background check have three hundred (300) days to file a complaint with the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations.

If your potential employer has not followed the above rules for legal background checks, you may have a case.

IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF AN ILLEGAL BACKGROUND CHECK THAT DID NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL LAW, CONTACT US AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
Were You A Victim Of An Illegal Background Check?
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Filed Under: Employment Law

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Other Articles

  • Top 8 Questions for a Consumer Lawyer When Fighting Credit Report Errors
  • What To Do About Medical Bills?
  • Tesla Lemon Law
  • My Identity Was Stolen
  • What is a Contingency Fee?

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