I carry health insurance on myself and my daughters through my employer. I am the subscriber. Any medical cost sharing obligations as a resu...

Question

I carry health insurance on myself and my daughters through my employer. I am the subscriber. Any medical cost sharing obligations as a result of care received by me or my daughters is billed to me as the subscriber. I then contact my payroll department and they set up a payroll deduction to pay any outstanding deductibles, coinsurances or copays. My employer is a large hospital who employs the physicians that my daughters and I receive care from. My ex-husband has not been on my health insurance policy since our divorce 3 years ago. He is currently applying for a student loan and allegedly has been declined. He is telling everyone that I ruined his credit due to some unpaid medical bills on the children. I don't think that's possible if he isn't even on the policy. And also, can unpaid medical bills effect your credit rating? We live in pennsylvania.

Answer

If the bills have been paid, then they could not be the cause of your ex-husband's bad credit.

The real issue is what do you want to do about it? Who is "everyone" that he is telling? Have you suffered damages (damage to your business relationship or reputation in the community) because of this? He has obviously gone downhill since the divorce. He can say what he wants. If people really know you they will know that you are not the kind of person and will see that your ex-husband is just a bitter vindictive man. I think I would let this die and not make a fuss.

I suppose that if you want to try and put some fear into him, you could pay a local attorney to send him a nasty letter advising that the statements regarding you ruining his credit are untrue and demand that he either provide you with evidence or retract the false statements. The problem is he might become really unhinged mentally that he could do real harm. You do not want to make a bad situation worse.

This is just my personal opinion - you are welcome to seek out another. You know best what you are dealing with and if you know a lawyer who will send this letter then go ahead. I just don't think I would make an actual court case over it.