FAQ

1Who is SCS?

We are a third-party collection agency that works for healthcare providers to help patients pay their past due medical bills.

2Why is SCS calling me?

If you are being contacted by SCS there is a chance that you have a past due account with a medical provider that you are currently doing business with or have done business with in the past.

3How do I get SCS to quit calling me?

4SCS is on my credit bureau how do I get it off?

5What if I have insurance and my insurer refuses to pay all or a portion of your medical bills?

We will be glad to work with you and your insurer to get resolution. Contact us at (866) 407-0200 or you can visit our payment site 24/7 HERE

6Can a debt collector call me at work?

Yes, unless the debt collector knows or has reason to know that your employer prohibits you from receiving such communication. If you are prohibited from being contacted at work, inform the debt collector and provide an alternate telephone number where you may be contacted to discuss the matter.

7I have insurance why did it not pay the bill?

There are many reasons why your insurance company may have not paid your bill. We have a dedicated Insurance team to answer any questions and help get your claim resolved. You can contact us by phone at (866) 407-0200, or you can visit our payment site 24/7 HERE

8How do I complain?

9Must the creditor (business or person to whom the original debt is owed) notify me before turning my account over to a collection agency?

The creditor generally is not required to let you know it's referring your account to a collection agency. There are rare exceptions to this rule.

10Is debt collection regulated by law?

Third party debt collectors are regulated by the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and debt collection laws in each state.

11What should I do if contacted by a debt collector?

Respond as soon as possible. If you don't respond, the collection agency will continue to try to make contact with you to collect what is believed to be a valid debt.

12Must the debt collector identify themselves and inform me of the nature of the communication?

Yes. Debt collectors must provide a meaningful disclosure of their identity and inform you that the purpose of the call is to collect a debt.

13How do I find out what I allegedly owe?

In the first contact with you regarding the debt or within five days after the initial contact, the collection agency must provide the following information (referred to as the “validation notice”):

The amount owed
The name of the creditor
The process to follow to dispute the bill or verify the debt

14What if I dispute the accuracy of the bill? What can I do?

Send the collection agency a written notice that you dispute the bill. Also, the initial collection notice sent to you has information on how to dispute the debt in collections.

15Can I continue making payments to the creditor to whom I owe money?

Yes. However, unless you pay the account in full, sending payments to the creditor will not stop the collection activity. Debt collectors are hired by the creditor to collect on the creditor's behalf and will continue to collect the balance due.

16What if the bill has been paid, I believe I don’t owe the debt, or I am not the person the debt collector is looking for?

If you do not owe the bill, or if the bill has already been paid, send the agency a written explanation along with copies of receipts, cancelled checks and any other information to back up your claim. If you are questioning only a part of the debt, you must make arrangements to pay the rest of the debt.
If you are not the person the agency is looking for, write and explain the mistake.

17Can I make payment arrangements with a debt collection agency?

It is the debt collection agency's responsibility to collect the debts it is assigned by creditors. Many will work out payment arrangements but they are not under any obligation to accept a partial payment. Talk directly with the debt collector to determine whether they will accept a payment plan.

18 Does an agency have to accept partial payments?

No. There is nothing mandating a collector must accept anything less than full payment for the owed debt. Each collector decides for themselves whether to accept partial payments. This is an important discussion between you and the collector.

19As long as I am paying something every month, doesn't the collection agency have to take my payment?

It is the collector's responsibility to recover the debts he is assigned and he can demand full payment for the owed debt. However, many collectors do work out payment plans with clearly defined terms of repayment.

20Can my bank account be garnished to collect a debt?

Where a judgment has been obtained, the creditor can request the court to issue a garnishment writ. They can garnish your bank accounts, savings accounts as well as any non-exempt personal property of yours held by a third party.

21When can a collection agency call me?

Under federal law, a collection agency may call you between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. If these times are inconvenient for you, ask the agency to contact you at other times. Federal law does not specifically limit the number of calls an agency may make to you, but repeated calls over a short period, which may be annoying or harassing, are prohibited.

22Can a collection agency contact other people to discuss my debt?

Third-party debt collectors may contact others in an attempt to locate you, but they may not discuss your account or debt status with a person other than you. Debt collectors must give their name, but not the name of the collection agency unless they are specifically asked for it.

23Can a collection agency call me at work?

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a collection agency may call you between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. If these times are inconvenient for you, ask the agency to contact you at other times. Depending on where you live, state law may be more restrictive than federal law.

24The collection agency wants me to write postdated checks or pre-authorize payments from my checking account. Do I have to do this?

No, you are not required to give postdated checks or pre-authorized payments to a collection agency. However, these methods have proven to be an efficient way of structuring a repayment plan because they require nominal maintenance from either party. The collector is required to send you a "notice of intent to deposit" letter before the agency deposits any postdated check.

25Can a debt collector obtain my consumer report?

Yes

26What happens to my consumer report when I don’t pay a debt?

We may furnish information about eligible accounts to a national consumer reporting agency. We update an account status at least monthly and information will remain on a credit report for up to seven years from the date of first delinquency.