where do I put the orthodontist??

[seekininfo]

I of course want to keep paying as my son would be VERY upset to have to keep the braces! lol

where do I put the payment? do I list under unsecured creditors or just list on schedule J?

[MarieT]

My child has braces too and we still owe about $1500 on them. Have already paid more than $6000 on them. I am thinking they are secured as the orthodontist could take the braces off if we do not continue to pay but I would like to know the answer for sure too.

[ssmdem]

I'm wondering if I can just pay the orthodontist the balance owed directly. Our payments are deducted through OrthoBanc -- but on a recent credit report I pulled, they aren't listed as a creditor - so I'm guessing it's not considered a loan???? Once we stop making payments to our creditors, we're going to need to spend the excess legitimately in order to get our account balance down before filing. If I can just pay off our orthodontist bill (two kids), I'll have no problem whatsoever getting our account balance down to next to nothing. If I pay the orthodontist directly, which I can do if I'm paying it off - it's going to show as a check to the orthodontist - wouldn't this just be considered payment for medical services?

[Meatstick]

We filed our case last month. Back in Feb my son had braces put on, I paid the full amount of $2300 that the insurance didn't cover. Lawyer told us it was allowable and not to worry about it, so we haven't.

[seekininfo]

I havent pd. it off, pay $108 a month. Dont I need to list that on my paperwork somewhere?
Its not on my credit reports either, kind of an in house thing.

[helpmeout]

You have to list all debt. But you can contact the orthodontist and let him/her know that you will continue the payments. You really should discuss it with either your attorney or an attorney that you are initially consulting with to find out what s/he thinks.

[ssmdem]

Definitely ask your attorney - but I would guess it would come under monthly medical expenses.

I think I'm just gonna pay off my bill to get my on hand cash amount down before we file. Those things are EXPENSIVE!!! Hopefully my daughter is done - still owe $2400 on hers. My son hasn't gotten his on yet - and I owe $1800 on just getting him READY for braces. Guess that'll be another $5000 when he gets them on - but hopefull we'll be far beyond bankruptcy at that point.

[MarieT]

We're making $100 month payments on the balance although it will be paid off in 15 months. I was thinking it was a secured debt but I guess it's not too realistic to think the orthodontist will remove the braces! We haev already given him a ton of money and he's a super nice guy so even if we did not pay him another penney he probably wouldnn't do anything to us. I was hoping we could use the payment to reduce our DMI.

[janie]

Is it definitely put on schedule J under medical expense?
I have the braces on, not a kid , and I have documentation that it is medically necessary treatment for TMJ. I will be having jaw surgery next year. I could use the extra $$ to include on my expenses. I thought it would have to go with my unsecured debt and would cause a problem if I paid off the final $900 before my attorney files the Chapter 7. I am paid up until January 2011. I will double check with my attorney when we meet again but would like to hear input now so I can sleep better! I hope someone can answer this, would help with my anxiety over any DMI!

[tcreegan]

Hi all,

Medical bills rarely show on credit reports

There are some fairly severe laws that keep medical records out of public places like a credit report. Get your billing information from the person doing billing in the office/clinic/hospital

Medical providers are unsecured creditors

They aren't going to make the teeth crooked again if you don't pay...medical bills go on line 7 of schedule J, get listed in the creditors matrix and on schedule E

Spending $$ on dental/medical procedures is an acceptalbe use of pre-petition funds

You quit paying on your secured debt, ccards, mortgage, etc, and you funnel that $$ into medical procedures (necessary, not cosmetic)

BK and a continuing relationship w/ a medical provider

Your Dr/Clinic/hospital/whatever is going to be furious/ irritated/ or is not concerned at all.
Tell them you plan to file BK, ask them if you can keep seeing them, and under what terms. You are allowed to pay them voluntarily, and this can take out the sting of the BK; they write off discharged bills, get tax benefits, continue to get payments.

Well, well, thats enough gibberish for tonight...

Tom in Colo

Be honest, be proactive, and realize that some Docs don't do their own billing and don't want to hear about it...go see the billing person.