montana collection on medical bills

I have an outstanding medical bill for services from a local MT hospital. I have been paying $10 month on the balance, and I have never missed a payment. I recently recieved a letter from a precollection agency indicating that since I had not paid the entire balance of my account, I was to be turned over for collection. I have 10 days to remit full payment of the balance or have the account sent to collection. Is this right? I thought as long as I was making paymnets in good faith that I couldn't be turned over to collection?

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

You "thought" wrong.

Do you have an agreement with the hospital for a payment plan ? A creditor is not obligated to make payment arrangements with you and can accept partial payments and still demand the balance in full. It can continue its collection efforts, including using collection agencies, until the debt is paid in full. If it has agreed to a payment plan, however, and you have been making the payments, then it can't later decide to demand full payment of the balance.

IAAL

[Edited by I AM ALWAYS LIABLE on 07-09-2001 at 09:55 PM]