Debt from childhood?

by Heather
(Longview,Texas )

I Live in East Texas. My question is, i went to the doc. and was informed I had a debt of seven hundred and some change from 2002. In 2002 I was 11 years old. The supervisor went in a seperated out my debt from my mothers, and brothers and I owed 47 dollars that I had to pay or I could not see the doc. How can I be responisible for a debt from when I was 11, at that age I can not sign anything making me responisble for that money so why was I forced to pay it, should it not have been my mothers since I was a minor?

Comments for Debt from childhood?

Click here to add your own comments

Jul 28, 2015
 Not so good office staff
by: Jamie

My son is 17, being sent to collections for a two year old debt, which should have been covered by the insurance. I asked the doctors billing staff to rebill to the insurance company & they refused. For a while the bills were going to my sons father, while we were married, but now the collections company is coming after my son. We live in Wyoming. Can they sue a 17 year old?

Reply from DebtCollectionAnswers.com:

It's unlikely though not impossible. In a few states a 15-year old might be held responsible for essential medical care, but it's unlikely, especially if he was not emancipated at the time. (But that doesn't mean they can't come after you as a parent.)

Talk with your insurance company. In most cases a participating provider can't hold you responsible for a bill that would have been covered if it had been billed in a timely manner. Ask your insurer to help you resolve this.

If that doesn't work, you may need to talk with a consumer law attorney. (In the meantime, your son can send the collection company a letter stating he was only 15 at the time and was under his parent's care--and ask the collector to stop contacting him.)
Jun 16, 2012
 Debt from childhood?
by: Debtcollectionanswers.com

Heather:

You are correct. You are not responsible for a debt that was incurred on your behalf when you were a minor -- younger than 18 years of age. The doctor's office should look to your parents to pay the unpaid medical bill, not to you.

I recommend that you check each of your credit histories to make sure that the debt is not being reported there and if it is take appropriate action to get it removed. A debt that your mother incurred on your behalf should not be in your credit histories. Contact Equifax, Experian and TransUnion for is responsible for paying it.

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Medical Debt Collection Questions.

Learn how debt collection laws can help you!
This website does not provide legal advice.
All information is for educational purposes only.
Copyright 2007 - 2019 by Mary Reed and Gerri Detweiler.
All rights reserved.
Read our Privacy Policy here