Consumer complaint received 2023-08-18
Company: Medical Business Bureau
State: IL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was paid

Complaint:
I am writing to ask for help getting an unfounded medical collection debt off my credit report. I have been unsuccessful in getting the problem corrected and the collection agency continues to verify the debt, even though proof has been submitted that there is no money due on the account, in fact, the insurance company satisfied the debt approximately 2 months PRIOR to it being reported to the credit bureaus as delinquent. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX {$1500.00} was charged, however, per contract with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) the provider was only able to bill {$440.00} for the service. 
Between XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX payment was made a rescinded by XXXX  due to the group number submitted for billing by XXXX XXXX being incorrect. Since the group number was incorrect ( it was from a prior employer ), XXXX notified XXXX that no insurance coverage was in place at the time of the procedure, and asked for the payment to be returned. After several months and multiple phone calls, the procedure was eventually billed under the right group number and XXXX paid the contracted rate for service. During this time, I made countless calls to XXXX, the original creditor, and the collection agency. During one of many calls, I was told in XX/XX/XXXX, by the original creditor, that the debt would be removed from my report in XXXX because there was no money due and it takes up to 30 days for it to be removed. 
XXXX XXXX paid the {$440.00} to XXXX and the check was cashed. When I found out the situation had not been resolved in XXXX, XXXX, I requested an Estimate of Benefits ( EoB ) from XXXX 
XXXX The EoB, reflects a balance on the account of {$0.00} and there is no patient financial responsibility due. The following statement was on the EoB, which I have attached for your review ( Pg.4 ). 
Your health care plan covers eligible services up to an allowed amount for services ordered or provided by a participating provider. Since this amount has been paid, no further payment can be made. You are not responsible for the charges over the allowed amount XX/XX/XXXX ( approximately ), I applied for a home equity loan only to find out this account was placed into collections in XXXX or XX/XX/XXXX!!!! I had to decline the terms of the loan because of the ridiculous interest rates they were charging me, due to the recent collection. 
XXXXMultiple phone calls for several weeks proved ineffective, so I submitted a dispute and much to my surprise, the collection company claimed the collection was valid, even though the amount was incorrect ( {$1500.00} ) and the correct amount had been received by the original provider, PRIOR to the account being placed in collections. While waiting for the erroneous information to be removed from my account, I applied for an airline charge card and was denied due to collection, resulting in further decreased credit score. 
XX/XX/XXXX - Again, more phone calls to no avail, so I submitted a XXXX dispute and even with the same documentation Im providing to you, indicating the debt was paid in XX/XX/XXXX, prior to the account being placed in collections, it was again reported that the debt was valid!!!!! This time the amount was changed to {$440.00} instead of the {$1500.00}. Of course, in the meantime my credit score is dropping and it appears that I acknowledged the debt by paying 70 % of it off, when actually it was the collection companys adjustment ( XXXX XXXX sent me a congratulatory email for paying down my collection debt ). 
XXXX I called all 3 credit bureaus to see what my options were, and they all submitted a 3rd dispute on my behalf ; however, I have no confidence that it will yield a different outcome. 

Please let me know what other information you may need in order to investigate this matter and an estimate of when I might receive a response. Thank you in advance for your attention to and assistance with this matter. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Medical Business Bureau XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation