Guys I really need some advice....Age is wisdom so help me out.........

OK, well this question may be out of topic but I don't know anybody else at this point to look up to and get some advice. Here is my question - October 2006 - I saw a doctor related to surgery. (1st Bill) April 2007 - I get a bill in the mail from the billing company of this doctor. I say to myself - Why didn't the send this to the insurance or why didn't the insurance company pay for this. I give it time knowing that my insurance company was going to pay for the bill like they always do.  (60 Days) May 2007 - I get the bill in the mail again so I went to the secretary of the doctor and gave her the bill. She told me she was going to take care of everything. (90 Days) June 2007- I get the bill in the mail again and I say to myself what the hell ??? She said she was going to take care of it. So I called her up and she said to fax it to her and she would take a look at it. I never did I decided to just call my insurances directly and see whats going on. I called them and they told me that they had send me a check for this but it was never cashed. I told them I never recieve a check for this bill. She said then a check will be re-issuse.  (120 Days) July 2007 - I get the bill again in the mail reading - OVERDUE. I call up my insurance company and ask them what happened to the check they were going to send me. She told me that it had to be approve first by a supervisior and then they will re-issuse the check. I said well whats the status of it now, and she said still pending. 3 days later I called up the insurances company and spoke to someone, she told me that the check was approve and I should get it in the mail within 3 weeks. So I decided to call up the billing department of the doctor I saw to let them know that. I speak to a person with a very heavy indian accient and told him the story. He said not a problem I will make a note of that on your file that the check should be here within a few weeks. This was last week, anyway come today I go to my mailbox and theres a letter from a collection agency asking for the money. Now I am extremely pi$$ed off because next week I was ready to apply for a new apartment, but with this letter from the collection agency this is going to screw up my credit score really bad. So the moment I got the letter I called my insurance....They were close already. I try calling up the company who bills me.....They were close...I try calling up my doctors office ....They were close. So I then decieded to call up myfico (My credit score) and the lady told me this would def. effect my credit score. Now I am so angry because Im thinking I won't be able to get this apartment now. Guys what should I do ???? Please any advice would be helpful  (Sorry for any misspell words.)

You have the right to submit a letter to contest any notations in the three primary credit tracking agencies. You should write up a letter with as many dates and  facts regarding this issue as you can and submit the letter to the big three agencies.  Here is a link to such a letter http://www.creditinfocenter.com/FeaturedArticles/AmeridebtRe buttal.shtml Plus read these suggestions as to following though with how verify and to file a dispute http://www.creditinfocenter.com/creditreports/

Boyk, one even two ‘dings’ on your credit won’t "get ya." Several will. Something as minor as this, won't by itself Jeopardize a rental application. Herb’**** it on the head--- contest the notations. That should clear it up by the next billing cycle. Then for future dealing with insurance and docs--- Push on the "front-end" of all transactions. Be "antsy" in the first 60 days, so you can be worry free later... Do EVERYTHING IN WRITING. One of the bonuses of having my complications was having the down-time to deal with the bills from my med-problems. It would have been a full-time job. Insurance companies are Notorious for paying at the last minute, Or after the last minute. And the billing departments of hospitals and doctors offices are a bit out of their minds too. I once received notice from my hospital that I had a "credit of overpayment" of $354,000. (This after a month of claiming no payments…) I called and asked if they could "cut me a check" that afternoon…. I’d be there to pick it up at once…. Suddenly, they found and corrected all problems with my accounts. Type out and fax everything, and mail it… And keep copies of all cancelled checks… The credit problem should be easy enough to sort out with a few letters. Don’t let frustration get the best of you. There are far worse things that can happen to your credit. If this is the worst? You’ve got it made! Do contest the collection agency BS and get it fixed soon. Ask for copies of any and everything be sent to you so you can have a clear paper trail of the error. Best Wishes- Dx

I'd recommend no more verbal deals over the phone.  Put everthing in letter form, keep copies, and send everything registered mail.  Make sure that the letter includes all names and dates from now on. Sending mail registered usually prompts a more rapid and careful response from the addressee - it puts them on notice that you are documenting things.   I would also ask for a letter from the doc's and / or insurance office explaining their part in this - you should be able use that if denied credit. If you are not getting fast and prompt help, always ask for a supervisor and document your conversation.  I don't know how many times I have had to do this. This is really a pain in the ass... but a little extra work now will spare you much aggravation work in the future.

I got something very similiar to this.  I kept getting this bill, then it said it was overdue, and then to collection agency.  It was from 'University Physician's Center' and my surg is a part of a University system, so I get scared and pay the thing - it wasn't very much like 50.00, and I send it to my surgeon's office. A few weeks later I was emailing the nurse and she said, by the way, why did you send us this check???  After all was said and done, she sent the check back to me!  Crazy.  Then when I go and have the final meet with the doctor before surgery, I learn that I need to pay almost 300.00 to them that will not be billed to insurance, but needs to be paid before I go for the final meeting with doc/nut/quack/guru!!   So it was like the hospital that they are a part of billing me and they themselves had no idea!  Anyhoo....Good Luck, BobM.