Clarification/Follow-up by sallie00 on 09/06/07 2:21 pm:
I understand why you ask those questions.

She doesn't want her credit messed up. She doesn't work. She wants to pay the bill but since she's on a fixed income, she can't pay what they are asking.

Having a lien on the house, does it make it harder to sell your home?

Having the bill go to a collection agency, doesn't that negatively affect your credit score?

Thanks in advance.

Clarification/Follow-up by Oldstillwild on 09/06/07 7:36 pm:
To the best of my ability:

They cant put a lien on the house,without cooperation of your friend.

She should try to make a reasonable settlement with the hospital,without a lien.

The collection agency involvement will increase the amount payable,due to costs of that agency.
They could start legal procedures in order to collect the money.
These procedures could end,with high additional costs and selling any property of your friends in order to collect it all.

If the hospital puts a lien on the house,this will have no direct impact on the selling or the price of the house....except if the hospital would start executing their right,which means,that eventually the hospital might start selling the house(although its my opinion,that the house is an unreasonable big lien to the amount of the debt....!So I dont expect the hospital to do that....They will collect their money as soon as your friend would sell the house.).But if they do,the proceeds will always be lower than in a free market.

As far as her credit is concerned,she might get registered,which would be common practice and logical.....You cant not paying bills and get away with it unnoticed!

So,again,she should cooperate fully to make a settlement.
Thats the best and cheapest way to solve this problem.

Another option is to get a loan for the amount of 2500,-,pay the hospital and to pay off the loan 100,- a month.
This would be my pick.

hi.