Need advise about a credit agency calling about medical bill...?

I'm a college student, with no insurance, and had to have surgery on my ankle earlier this year. I have been sending in a $100 check every month to pay off my anesthetic bill and now my remaining bill is $1200. a credit agency has been calling me for the past several months wanting me to send my checks to them and not the doctors office.

Today the credit agency called me and told me that they would give me a 20% discount if I paid the remaining bill off now, which I can't afford, and if I didn't pay now they would put this negligent bill on my credit history.

What should I do??

Are they bluffing?

Should I keep paying the $100 every month like I have been?

Any advise would be greatly appreciated, I'm stressing out!

Need advise about a credit agency calling about medical bill...?the grand theater

I used to work for a collection agency...listen up! Don't let them bully you into making payments. Pay what you can afford, and not a penny more...and pay it to the place where the bill originally came from- not a collection agency! Go to FTC.Gov and look up the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, know your rights! If you have questions you can E-mail me. I'll be glad to help out.

Need advise about a credit agency calling about medical bill...?soap opera opera theater

It is possible that the doctor's office has "charged off" the debt and sold it to a collection agency. Find out from the doctor's billing office.

But before you pay them a cent, request a written "Verification of Debt" from the collection agency. They need to provide you with written proof that they now "own" the debt.