How do I get rid of paid medical bills on my credit that I went back and paid off?
338196
Your credit report should reflect a zero balance, but they remain on your credit report for 7 years.  The only way to get them off before then is to request the reporting company to remove them.....)(
1094635
#1) Pull all your reports. Not online, request actual physical copies. They usually contain more than what an online report does. This will give you a start on where you need to go with your reports. Also, keep them. Never toss them. They are proof later on if you need them to refer to if you ever get into a legal situation regarding your credit (lawsuit etc).\n\n#2) Dispute. Dispute anything that is not correct including, balance amounts, lates, etc. If you have only one or two lates, I would call your creditor and see if you can get them removed via goodwill gesture, or send a goodwill letter. You can find some great letters on some of the credit boards like creditnet.com and creditboards.com.\n\n#3.) Collections? If you have any collections on your account or anything that should not be there, send a DV (debt validation) to the creditor asking to prove the debt. If they cannot, they have to remove the debt off of your report by law.\n\n#4.) You have rights - check out http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/031224fcra.pdf for more info.\n\n#5.) check out some of the posts on creditnet.com and creditboards.com for assistance. \n\n#6.) If you have no credit, or want a temporary boost - have a family member or really (really, really, really) close friend add you in as an authorized user on their credit cards. Make sure the balances are not high, otherwise this could hurt you more. The higher the available credit, the more your utilization will go down on your report - therefore bumping your score.\n\n#7.) Avoid unnecessary inquiries. Hard pulls can hurt you, so avoid applying for new credit cards until after you buy your home.\n\nThis of course is a shortened version of things you can try. Research info on those links I provided you. You can increase your score spending just a short amount of time per week, sending letters to creditors etc. I increased my score over 100 points in less than 6 months. Depending on your situation, this could take shorter or longer time, but at least you have somewhere to start. Good luck!
542555
Here is how the game is played....\n\nIf you pay off your debt, you still have to deal with that negative report on your credit.\n\nPlacing "paid" on it does NOT remove  negative information such as late fees or that it went to collections.  Those who tell you otherwise are lying or ignorant.  I've counsoled many, many people who made the mistake of paying off debts, hopeing to get their credit improved, only to see it barely helped at all.\n\nThe ONLY person who can edit/delete credit information is the creditor to placed that information there.  And it's very unlikely you will get their cooperation once you have paid the debt.\n\nTherefore, before you pay them a dime, get IN WRITING that they will remove all negative information from your credit report.  Don't pay them a dime unless they do!\n\nRemember, you are trying to fix your score.  Why pay them if it's not going to help you out?  \n\nUse the sample letters below and write a negotiation letter.
562090
The creditor can remove the bad credit information if they want to...you just have to ask them.  If they won't clean your record, why pay them?  \n\nSend them a letter saying that in exchange for a written promise to delete the negative information, you will pay the debt.  That's the only way you will get your record cleaned up.\n\nThese people who tell you that they will put "paid" on your account and it will look better then an unpaid debt are lying!  It's still a negative report, and it's going to hurt your credit score!
301161
Below are my best links. This will help you out.\n\nMy battle cry!   You are about to go to war.  Do NOT fight these guys unarmed.  Knowledge of the law is your only weapon.  Read the links below and get armed!!!!  \n\nKeep a few things in mind before you begin your battle.  If the reports on your credit report are accurate, there is nothing you can do to remove them.  \n\nYou can get some of the items removed by going through a precedure set by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.  It involves the following:\n\n-Dispute the listing with the Credit Reporting Agency (CRA).  They have 30 days to verify the debt with the creditor.  If they get no response, the listing must be removed.\n\n-If they do get a reply, and the listing stands, you can request that the item be disputed, and a message will appear on that listing for future creditors to see (and usually ignore).\n\n-Send a "validation demand" letter to each creditor.  They have 30 days to respond by sending copies of contracts, letters, bills, and anything used to calculate your debt.  They must prove that they have a valid debt, and you are legally obligated to pay.  Many times the creditor doesn't have the records, doesn't want to spend the time to search, or pay the manpower.  If they ignore this request, send a copy of the letter along with another demand to the CRA to remove the listing.  If they fail to do so, they can be held liable for a lawsuit.\n\nYou can sue for any failure to comply with FCRA law in small claims court (check with your state to see exactly how, as each is differant).\n\nKeep logs of phone calls, send all letters by certified mail, and keep copies of everything!  Carefully study your credit report for any errors.  Is the date they claim you defaulted correct?  Are the balances and credit limits correct?  Challenge all of them!\n\nGood luck
1030722
If you are now up do date on your payments, and it has been awhile since you became up to date, you can always try a goodwill letter to the creditors. Tell them that you have worked hard to become current, it has been x number of years, can they please list the accounts on your reports as never late.\n\nIf you are still behind on the bills or the accounts have been charged off, thats a whole nother ball game.\n\nI would suggest going to the site that I've listed. It is a "free" do it yourself credit repair site. \n\nThere is no sense paying for anything or anyone to do what you can do yourself. Especially since alot of those credit counseling places will leave you worse off than you are now.
934701
Try this.\n\nWhen you call these companies, tell them that you want IN WRITING a guarantee that they will raise your credit score and remove bad items from your credit report once the bills are paid.  \n\nAnd that they won't take any money unless these things are accomplished.\n\nYou won't find anyone who will agree to this.  Why?  Because they can't possibly promise such a thing.\n\nThere are only two ways to get a negative item removed from your credit history.\n\n1) The creditor must delete it\n2) The creditor fails to respond to an investigation request from the credit bureau.\n\nNote that payment of a bill does NOT remove the item.  It only changes the status from being late or in collections, to paid.  But it still reflects late payments or collections.  It's still a negative item.\n\nThese "credit repair" companies will TRY to negotiate a payment arrangement that will TRY to remove the negative items.  But there are no guarantees.  \n\nBut it is a guarantee that these companies will demand payment for their services, whether they succeed or not.\n\nBefore you go this route, do your research.  Many of the things that these companies do, you can easily do yourself.  \n\nAlso note that many of these "credit consoler" or "credit repair" companies are a front for companies offering consolidation loans or other such services.  Be aware of what's going on!
715391
Go to the credit bureau in your town and they can help you.If a creditor sees that you paid the bill then it won,t be used as a write off...Alot of people are afraid of the local credit bureau but don,t be they are fair and are there to help you build your credit........everyone makes mistakes sometimes,gets in a bind and messes up,don,t dispair...You do know that after 7 years you can get bad debts removed from your credit...Also everytime someone checks your credit it scores against you,did u know that? good luck
112221
The first thing I would do, is if you owe the debt, contact the original creditor in writing expressing that you are intrested in resolving the issue and are being harassed by a collection agency...be sure to provide them with who the collection agency is.  If you still owe it, they will work with you.\n\nAs far as stopping the calls, simply ask the agency for their mailing address and send them a certified letter demanding the harassment and phone calls stop and that all communiction should be in writing.  Be sure to log the calls and the times and any threats or harassing they commit.  After they recieve the letter, it is illegal to call you....if they do, file a complaint with a copy of your letter and the certified receipt showing they received it along with your log to the authorities.  Whatever you do, do NOT discuss the debt with them at all!  Simply cut them off politely and say that you need a mailing address and tell them that any future communication should be in writing.  Follow up with the certified letter, and it should stop.  Also, if the collection agency has reported the debt on your credit report, you can remove it by sending a letter to each of the creit reporting agencies denying the accuracy and demanding that the debt be "validated".  This will give the collection agency 30 days to send a copy of the original signed credit agreement as well as a complete payment history.  If they donot do this completely within the 30 days, it must be deleted by law.\n\nGood luck....I hope this helps you.
914325
A doctor can remove most of them. Say they hurt if you want an insurance company to pay the bill.
727431
Go to see the financial couseler at the hospital. They found that I had a problem and couldn't pay so they paid 7000.00 for me. Then ask your doctor if you can set up payment plans through them. Some doctors will write it off and others just want your money.
217504
Pay your bills on time.  Other than that, it's just a matter of time to let all the bad stuff fall off your credit report.  It sucks, I know.
253417
How old is your son?  If he's under 18 why are they billing him?  \n\nIf this is the only negative hit on his credit report, I would suggest you contact the hospital (don't mess with the collection agencies) and work out a payment plan.  But ONLY if they agree to remove any mention of the debt from the credit report.  Otherwise, what's the point in paying the bill?
451345
The problem with simply paying off the debt does not remove the negative report from your credit history.  They may show the debt paid, but it will still reflect late payments, or that it went to collections.\n\nIf you choose to go this route, be sure to get IN WRITING a letter stating that they will remove this debt from your history BEFORE you pay a dime to them!  \n\nHere is a better suggestion.\n\nSend the creditor a demand to VALIDATE your debt.  That means they must send you copies of you contract, bills, receipts, and anything that can prove you have a legal obligation to pay this debt.  \n\nIf they do not respond back in 30 days, send a copy of this letter to the credit reporting agency, along with a demand to remove the entry due to lack of validation.  They must remove the entry or risk a lawsuit for violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.\n\nBe sure to send all letters by certified mail, so you have proof they were sent and received.  Otherwise you have no proof to show the judge if you go to court.\n\n\nMany of these magazine companies don't even keep your contracts on file, and it will be impossible for them to prove your debt.  Rather then spend a lot of manpower searching for these records, they will simply opt to remove the listing.
275664
Medical bills will not typically show on your credit reports unless you have been sent to collection.\n\nAs the previous poster said go to www.annualcreditreport.com and get all 3 of your credit reports for free.\n\nReview them for accuracy and dispute any item you believe is incorrect. Each investigation will take about 30 days.\n\nGood Luck
597588
Paying in full would be best...\n\nBut which ever way you decide..remember this.\n\nYou are trying to clean your credit history.  The only way you can get this negative item removed is for the creditor to do it.  \n\nHaving him put "paid" on your account does NOT remove negative information about delinquency or late payments.  It must show "paid in full, as agreed" or better yet have it removed entirely.\n\nBut once the creditor has your money, it's going to be very difficult to get him to cooperate with you in cleaning your credit.  Once he has your money you have lost all leverage to negotiate.\n\nTherefore, when you call to negotiate a payment plan, demand IN WRITING that they remove the negative information from your report before you pay them a dime!\n\nOtherwise, you will end up with bad credit, plus you will be broke.
198442
Relax, I can fix your problem real quick with just a phone call and a letter.\n\nCall up the cell phone provider and let them know your account was sent in error to a collection agency, and inform them to call off the dogs.  \n\nThen send a cease and desist letter to the collection agency.  The link below has a sample letter, just change it around to fit your purpose.  \n\nBe sure to include a statement telling them not to call or write to you again.  \n\nBe sure to check your credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com to make sure that the collection agency didn't put any negative comments on it.  If so, I've enclosed some additional links that will help you out.\n\nMail the letter Certified USPS so you can prove and track it.  Keep logs of all letters and phone calls that you make in case you need to follow up with legal action.\n\nI'm 99% certain that by following the above advice you will not hear from them again.  Unfortunately, many collection agents are so narrow minded (all the see is green) that you may need to stop them in court.  \n\nIt's very important to note:  Unless the debt is large (at least $1000) many collection agencies won't even try to sue you to recover the debt.  They are content to going after your credit history and messing up your life.  \n\nYou are fighting a war!  Do not fight these guys unarmed.  Knowledge of the law is your only weapon!  Get armed!  Read the links below.