Checking your credit report and finding a negative piece of information from a company you’ve never heard of is frustrating and concerning. If you see that Balanced Healthcare Receivables has submitted a collections account to one or more of the major credit bureaus, you probably want it off, along with stopping their calls. You likely also want to get to the bottom of what this company is as well.
Balanced Healthcare Receivables is a third-party debt collection company. Third-party debt collectors are companies that focus specifically on helping original creditors or service providers collect delinquent funds. They don’t provide original credit accounts, but another company contracts them as a means of outsourced debt collection.
Most companies will try to collect unpaid bills on their own for a period of time, usually a few months, before they turn to a company like Balanced Healthcare Receivables.
For some people, their first introduction to Balanced Healthcare Receivables might be when they check their credit report. For others, they start to get calls from the company, or maybe even letters, electronic communication, or texts. When you get calls from this company, they’re likely attempting to collect a debt from you.
Balanced Healthcare Receivables specifically collects for medical services providers. Medical debt collection is very tricky. First, many variables in the medical billing process can lead to mistakes. For example, if a medical provider submits incorrect information to a third-party debt collector, you could be contacted about a debt you don’t owe.
There are often situations where consumers don’t know who to pay because they’re getting so many bills from varying providers, often stemming from a single visit. Consumers also think their insurance covers bills, but the insurance drops the ball, leaving them with debt.
Consumers have rights when it comes to medical billing and debt collection related to healthcare services. One of the more recently passed laws related to medical bills is called the No Surprises Act, which went into effect at the beginning of 2022. Under the No Surprises Act, consumers shouldn’t receive unexpected medical bills.
Providers should give good-faith estimates for how much services will cost before they receive care. Then, if you’re billed more than $400 over that estimated amount, you may be able to dispute the charges.
Once a medical bill goes to a collector, you also have rights. For example, a debt collector is legally not allowed to report medical bills to credit bureaus without first trying to collect from you. You have the right to dispute the information if you never received any correspondence from Balanced Healthcare Receivables, yet they’re listed on your credit report.
Even in the process of collecting legitimate debts, there are limitations on what collection companies can say and do because of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
The FDCPA says that a debt collector can’t use harassment, intimidation, profanity, or threats to try and collect debts, even if the money is owed and there isn’t a mistake. If a debt collector is calling you over and over again, they’re potentially violating the FDCPA.
If they’re deceptive or misrepresenting who they are, why they’re calling, or what you owe, this is also a possible FDCPA violation. When you know your rights as a consumer, you’re in a better position to make sure you’re protecting yourself.
Balanced Healthcare Receivables is a legitimate company, not a scam. The company has a Better Business Bureau accreditation.
Unfortunately, there are numerous consumer complaints about this company. Quite a few consumers allege that they never received any details about the debt the company says they owe. Under the law, debt collectors are supposed to provide original account information to consumers. Some say they attempted to contact Balanced Healthcare Receivables and were asked for personal information to verify their accounts or debts. They didn’t feel comfortable providing it, so they continued to receive calls.
People say despite their best efforts, they can’t get information on the specifics of the healthcare they supposedly received.
The phone number for Balanced Healthcare Receivables is 866-460-2471, but in many cases, it’s not ideal to contact a debt collector directly without first consulting with a consumer protection attorney. If you do, the company might convince you to pay a debt you don’t legitimately owe.
Consumers are often coerced into paying debt collectors, thinking they’ll quickly delete the negative information from their credit reports, but that’s not what happens.
You could also inadvertently acknowledge the debt, restarting the statute of limitations.
If you speak with a consumer protection attorney first, they can advise you on the best steps in your given situation to get Balanced Healthcare Receivables off your credit report without stress.
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, along with the right to transparency and accuracy regarding your credit information, you can dispute anything you believe is wrong. Once a dispute is submitted to a company like Balanced Healthcare Receivables or a credit reporting agency, they’re required under the FCRA to do an investigation within 30 days. Then, they have to correct or update information.
Consumers might try to manage the dispute process on their own, though, only to find the company isn’t compliant or doesn’t respond to their requests. They could also agree to a settlement or remove information from your credit report and not follow through. A consumer protection attorney can be the best way to get the attention of a debt collector and let them know you’re serious about taking action.
Fair Credit is a consumer protection law firm specializing in ensuring you have full FCRA rights. We can help you get Balanced Healthcare Receivables off your credit and out of your life so you no longer have to think about this company. Contact us to learn more or to get started with a free case review.
Don't let these companies get away with violating your rights and causing you financial & emotional distress.