How to Resolve a Debt with PCB Collections Agency

Edited by Hannah Locklear

If you’re one of the 41% of Americans with medical debt, you might find it hard to pay off. Medical debt is seldom expected, and a hospital visit or surgery can leave you with a bill for hundreds or thousands of dollars, even if you have health insurance. Paying it can be tricky, especially if you don’t have savings and live paycheck to paycheck.

An unpaid medical debt often ends up in the hands of a debt collector like PCB Collections Agency. These debt collectors will send you letters and call you, trying to get the money you owe. Sometimes, they’ll take you to court. In this article, we’ll explain who PCB Collections Agency is and what you can do to resolve your debt.

Sued for debt? Resolve it through debt settlement.

What is PCB Collections Agency?

PCB Collections Agency specializes in collecting overdue healthcare debts. The agency works with medical facilities nationwide, including hospitals and doctor’s offices. In addition to collections activities, it helps healthcare organizations with billing and practice management.

The company's full name is Professional Claims Bureau, Inc., but it often brands itself simply as PCB.

PCB Collections Agency reviews

While PCB Collections Agency is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), but it does have a BBB profile with an A+ rating, likely due to its time in business; it is a family-owned company that’s spanned over three generations since 1964.

Despite its positive BBB rating, PCB Collections Agency has dozens of complaints submitted to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, many of which claim that PCB uses unfair debt collection practices to collect money on debts that are not valid or legit.

Below is an example of a real complaint against PCB Collections Agency, taken from the CFPB complaint database (edited for clarity):

“I have contacted Professional Claims Bureau, LLC on 3 separate occasions to inform them my doctor never explained there was a co-pay. When I asked the doctor office, they repeatedly told me no co-pay was due and my insurance covered my physical therapy visits. They have not contacted me back and continue to send harassing mail demanding their payment. The doctor 's office should be held liable, which I explained in the email. Yet, on three separate occasions, I have not heard back from PCB.”

Based on these reviews, you should definitely investigate before you make any payments to PCB Collections Agency when they contact you about an alleged debt. In fact, it’s one of your rights as a consumer to request debt validation when debt collectors contact you.

Make PCB Collections Agency validate your debt

If you receive a medical debt collection notice from PCB Collections Agency, take the time to read it carefully. See if you recognize the debt. If you do, and you know you owe the money, then it’s likely legitimate. However, you should still contact the company and ask for debt validation to ensure it has the right to collect money from you.

In your Debt Validation Letter, ask PCB Collections Agency for the following information:

• The name of the original medical facility or hospital
• The total amount you owe, with a breakdown of any additional fees or interest charges
• The age of the medical debt
• An indication of whether it’s past your state’s statute of limitations
• PCB’s license number for collecting debt in your state

After PCB receives your notice, it needs to stop further activity on your account until it supplies you with the appropriate information. You should stop receiving any phone calls or letters in the meantime.

If you don’t hear back from PCB Collections Agency, it probably didn’t have everything you requested. However, you should monitor your credit report to ensure that no negative items appear from the collection agency.

Here’s the PCB Collections phone number and other contact information:

• Phone: 877-247-4650
• Address: 439 Oak Street, Garden City, New York 11530
• Email: info@pcbinc.org

Watch the following video to learn how to write PCB Collections Agency a Debt Validation Letter in two steps.

Respond to a debt lawsuit against PCB Collections Agency

If you don’t do anything to address the medical debt with a collection agency like PCB, it will likely escalate its collection efforts, which may include a debt lawsuit. If PCB decides to sue you, taking action quickly is critical to avoid a judgment. A judgment could entitle PCB Collections Agency to garnish your wages or seize money from your bank account.

To resolve a medical debt lawsuit before your court date, you have three options: You can either pay the debt in full, fight the lawsuit, or settle the debt.

Repaying your debt will typically stop the lawsuit process. Nothing will be left to sue you for, so PCB Collections Agency will need to report your account paid and ask for a dismissal. However, you may end up paying more than the original debt amount if attorney fees and court costs are tacked on. If you choose to repay the debt, keep a receipt and evidence that you did so for your records.

Maybe you suspect the debt is invalid and that PCB Collections Agency doesn’t have a strong case against you. If this is the case, respond to the lawsuit with a written Answer to fight back. If PCB collectors can’t prove that all the allegations they’re making are true, there’s a chance the case will be dismissed.

Sometimes, complete repayment isn’t possible, especially if you have a sizable bill and not much savings. And if the debt is valid, you might consider debt settlement instead.

Settle your debt with PCB Collections Agency

In a settlement, you’ll offer PCB Collections Agency part of the money owed in exchange for dropping the lawsuit and forgiving your remaining balance. The more you offer, the more likely PCB Collections Agency will accept it.

We recommend offering at least 60% of the debt’s value to start settlement negotiations. The more you can offer, the better your chances will be of reaching a settlement. If your financial circumstances don’t allow you to pay that much, you can explain the situation and see if PCB Collections Agency will work with you or help you set up a monthly installment plan.

Watch this video to learn more about how to settle a debt with PCB Collections Agency:

SoloSettle, powered by SoloSuit, is a tech-based approach to debt settlement. Our software helps you send and receive settlement offers until you reach an agreement with the collector. Once an agreement is reached, we’ll help you manage the settlement documentation and transfer your payment to the creditor or debt collector, helping you keep your financial information private and secure.

Let’s consider an example.

Example: Luke underwent surgery for a broken ankle after falling off his skateboard. While Luke had health insurance, it didn’t cover the entire cost of his ER visit, so he had a $3,000 remaining balance. He didn’t pay the bill, and his account went to collections. Now, a medical debt collector is suing him. Luke responds to the lawsuit with a SoloSuit Debt Answer document to buy himself time to settle the debt. Next, Luck uses SoloSettle to offer a $2,000 lump-sum payment to settle the debt. The collector accepts the offer, and SoloSettle transfers Luke’s money for him. The case is dropped, and Luke moves on from the medical bill.

The best way to resolve debt with PCB Collections Agency is to pay the bill

There are no secret tricks to get out of a debt you owe. However, validating the obligation is crucial to ensure PCB Collections Agency has the right to collect it from you. If it does, you can either repay the debt or attempt to settle it. Some collections agencies will also consider monthly payment arrangements.

The key is to take action; don’t let things snowball until they’re out of control.

Do you need help settling a debt with PCB Collections Agency? Get assistance from SoloSettle, SoloSuit’s debt settlement service.

What is SoloSuit?

SoloSuit makes it easy to fight debt collectors.

You can use SoloSuit to respond to a debt lawsuit, to send letters to collectors, and even to settle a debt.

SoloSuit's Answer service is a step-by-step web-app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your Answer. Upon completion, we'll have an attorney review your document and we'll file it for you.

>>Read the FastCompany article: Debt Lawsuits Are Complicated: This Website Makes Them Simpler To Navigate

>>Read the NPR story on SoloSuit. (We can help you in all 50 states.)

How to answer a summons for debt collection in your state

Here's a list of guides for other states.

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