Summary: MBA Law, aka Capio Partners, collects medical debts. Proactively respond to calls or lawsuits and consider using SoloSettle to negotiate and resolve debt affordably.
MBA Law (alias Capio Partners, LLC) has several ways of getting you to pay a medical debt if you fail to stay on top of it. Its representatives often call you repeatedly, write to you, threaten legal action, and if you still fail to pay, they may even file a lawsuit against you.
You may be tempted to ignore MBA Law's calls and letters. But this response (or lack thereof) will likely escalate the situation. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, around 15% of consumers contacted about a debt in collections are sued in civil court.
Unless you can arrive at a settlement that satisfies the collector, MBA Law may sue you. But Solo can help you respond to a lawsuit and settle it if you are sued.
What is MBA Law?
MBA Law, formally known as the Law Offices of Mitchell D. Bluhm and Associates, is a debt collection law firm based in Sherman, Texas.
Who does MBA Law collect for?
MBA Law has been collecting medical debt since 2008. This means they generally collect debts for hospitals, surgical centers, medical professionals, and other medical facilities.
Mitchell D. Bluhm & Associates (MBA) and Capio Partners, LLC make up the joint venture listed under MBA Law Offices/Capio. MBA Law’s debt collection department is also known as Sherman Debt Collection Office.
If both MBA Law Offices and Capio are working together to collect your medical debt, you may receive correspondence from both companies. If your provider becomes convinced you won't pay your debt, they may sell it to MBA Law Offices, which works for the debt buyer CF Medical, LLC.
Below is MBA Law’s phone number and other contact information:
Address: 3400 Texoma Parkway, Suite 100, Sherman, Texas 75090
Phone Number: (903) 813-3805
Website: www.law-mba.com
Read MBA Law reviews online
If you are interested to learn what other people have said about their experience with MBA Law on a debt collection matter, then take a moment to read these reviews:
- MBA Law reviews on Google
- MBA Law reviews on Better Business Bureau
- MBA Law reviews on CFPB consumer database
While MBA Law online reviews are pretty mixed, there are some reviews that indicate consumers can have a pleasant experience communicating with MBA Law collectors to resolve debt. Let’s consider a real example from a borrower named Ishmeal:
“Kamelle was one of the best professional caring representatives I have ever spoken with. She made me feel safe giving my card information over the phone she waited patiently and told me I could pull my account up so that I would know it was real said she is here to help me resolve my account and get it out of collections I want to thank her she was very kind caring and polite excellent customer service I give her 5 stars.”
This review shows that MBA Law debt collectors are open to working with you to resolve your concerns and get your debt paid in a manner that works for you and your current financial situation. Communication is the key.
If calling a debt collector to negotiate doesn’t sound like your idea of fun, try using SoloSettle to negotiate online and resolve your debt through the digital settlement platform.
You have rights under the FDCPA
If MBA Law hasn't already done so, ask them to send you a letter detailing the debt they're collecting for verification if you owe. You do this by sending a Debt Validation Letter to MBA Law.
While it's illegal for MBA Law to threaten to take you to court if they do not actually intend to, you should still take them seriously if they threaten to sue you. You can learn more about your rights under the FDPCA.
In summary, a debt collection agency cannot call you before 8:00 am or after 9:00 pm your time. They cannot call you over and over again in an abusive manner. It is also illegal for debt collectors to use threatening or abusive language when speaking to you, and they cannot contact your employer once notified that your employer does not allow such calls.
Learn more about how the FDCPA protects consumers, like you.
Consider Negotiating a Debt Settlement with MBA Law
If you received a Summons and Complaint from MBA Law, you still have the option to try and negotiate a debt settlement. It is important to proactively respond to the lawsuit so you have sufficient time to engage in productive settlement negotiations. Here are some recommended steps to try and settle a debt with MBA Law:
- File an Answer to the debt collection lawsuit filed by MBA Law so you do not get hit with a default judgment.
- Calculate how much you can actually afford to pay with the following formula: Amount available to settle = (monthly income – monthly costs) + savings)
- Make a reasonable settlement offer that is less than the maximum amount you are able to pay.
- Be ready to engage in multiple rounds of negotiating.
- When you reach a debt settlement agreement, get the terms in writing.
To learn more about these tips and others that may assist you on your journey to settle debt with MBA Law, watch the following interview with a consumer rights attorney, John Skiba, where he shares the best tips for negotiating debt settlement with collectors:
Medical debt and your credit report
Medical debt can negatively impact your credit score, but it does less harm than other types of debt. The Biden Administration has continued to push for changes in how medical debt affects consumers. On July 1, 2022, all three major credit reporting bureaus introduced the first phase of changes to medical debt collection reporting. Effective on that date, all paid medical collection debt will no longer be included on consumer credit reports.
In 2023, medical collection debt of less than $500 will be removed from credit reports. Currently, medical debt does not have the same impact on your credit score as other types of debt, so these additional measures will serve to offer consumers more relief from the burdensome cost of healthcare.
Respond to an MBA Law lawsuit
A debt lawsuit is initiated when you receive the court Summons and Complaint documents in the mail. The Summons notifies you of the lawsuit, while the Complaint lists the specific allegations against you.
In court, you can protect your rights, avoid costly fees, and have more control over how you pay back the debt by responding to the Summons and Complaint from MBA Law. Moreover, your Answer helps you avoid default judgment, which would give MBA Law the right to garnish your wages and seize your property.
If MBA Law sues you, follow these three steps:
- Answer each claim from the Complaint.
- Assert your affirmative defenses.
- File your Answer with the court, and send a copy to MBA Law.
Below, we break each step down in detail. Don’t like reading? Check out this video instead:
1. Answer each claim from the Complaint
A Complaint form contains a list of allegations MBA Law has made against you. The court requires you to respond to every claim to protect your rights. In the absence of an Answer, the court will assume you have admitted responsibility.
There are several ways to respond to each claim:
- Admit: like saying, “this is true.”
- Deny: like saying, “prove it.”
- Deny due to lack of knowledge: like saying, “I don’t know.”
Most attorneys recommend that you deny as many claims as possible. This forces MBA Law to prove each claim, and if they can’t, there is a good chance the case will be dismissed.
Draft an automatic Answer to your debt lawsuit in minutes online.
2. Assert your affirmative defenses
You can win the case with affirmative defenses because they give new information to the court on why MBA should lose the lawsuit. Ensure the affirmative defense you assert is strong enough to dent the lawsuit in your favor.
Here are the most common defenses you can use:
- Statutes of Limitations: Claim that the claim was filed after the statute of limitations for debt collection had expired.
- Lack of Privity: In your defense, you argue that you have no contract with the plaintiff (MBA Law). In many cases, this defense works against collection agencies.
- Invalid or fraudulent assignment of debt: Claim that the debt obligations were improperly transferred to the third party.
Make the right affirmative defense the right way.
3. File your Answer with the court, and send a copy to MBA Law
It's time to file after responding to each complaint and asserting your affirmative defenses. Make sure to file before your state’s deadline, which could be anywhere from 14-35 days, depending on where you live.
Here are the steps to file your Answer in court:
- Make two copies of the Answer.
- Mail your Answer to the courthouse or file it in person.
- Mail a copy to MBA Law attorneys.
- Make sure you keep a copy.
Some courts may require e-filing or have other special filing requirements, and thanks to SoloSuit, the filing research is done for you.
SoloSuit can file your Answer for you in all 50 states.
Resolve your debt issue with MBA Law
Finding an attorney can be a stressful and expensive process. But with Solo’s help, you can defend yourself against debt collectors like MBA Law.
Let’s take a look at an example of how Solo can help.
Example: Jenna had an emergency operation when her appendix ruptured. Her insurance paid for most of the expenses, but Jenna continued to receive bills and then phone calls from a laboratory. The laboratory charged more than her insurance would allow for those services, so Jenna was being harassed over a $350 medical bill. Because she had missed time from work, there was no extra room in the budget to pay this bill. Soon, she was contacted by MBA Law. Jenna used SoloSuit to respond to the lawsuit to avoid a default judgment. Next, she sent an offer to settle the debt for $200 via SoloSettle. Knowing that they had little leverage on a balance below $500, MBA Law accepted the offer. Jenna saved $150, and it only took a few minutes of her time to use Solo to respond.
Let Solo help you settle or win against MB Law/Capio with the right tools and strategy.