Help me verify a collection effort...

Factual Questions
1

Just got a call from a collection agency telling me I owe $50 for a hospital bill. I’m unaware of any outstanding debt there… And I was told by the agent that this was a copayment and that the rest of the bill had been paid by an insurance carrier that I haven’t been covered by for YEARS. Given that, I am a bit suspicious. The agent DID give me a date of service, and the date is legit, but that bill has been paid. Twice we have had to point out to the hospital billing people that the bill from that date was paid, and twice they have agreed that it IS paid.
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Obviously, there have been multiple visits from the cock-up fairy.
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The collection agent says she has no other data to share, and that I need to pay her on her say-so. Therefore, I have no way to connect this debt with documents from the hospital billing.
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Anyone got any tips on how to verify this debt (which I am happy to pay if I owe it), and possibly how to prevent this same bill from coming back AGAIN? And while we’re at it, could this be a scam attempt? And if I find that this is an unknown and unpaid debt, should I pay the hospital, or the collection ageny (who, after all, would now have earned thier cut)?

Thanks!

2

Request a statement from the hospital showing you have paid the debt. Send a copy of it certified, return receipt requested to the collection agency with a cover letter advising them that the debt is satisfied and that further attempts to collect it will be met with a full exercise of your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Obtain copies of your credit report from the three majors. Review any adverse items listed there and contact the credit bureau to dispute them. The debt must either be verified or removed from your report within 30 days.

If the agency continues to come after you for a satisfied debt, consider contacting a lawyer and suing them for damages.

IANAL, etc.

3

Oh, and if it turns out you actually owe it, pay the agency. Request a receipt from the agency for it along with confirmation that the credit reporting agencies they’ve notified will be updated that the account is satisfied. I would send that payment certified with return receipt requested. Keep all the paperwork for the next several years.

4

Thanks very much for the advice, Otto! I’ll be checking into it in the morning.