Strange update.... After reading the TigerD tips for negotiation, I called the Debt Collector company. They DID acknowledge that the debt was now in disputed status because they received my letter a couple weeks ago. BUT they said that they are "no longer representing the debt and it was returned back to the hospital". They stated that I must now instead just contact the hospital which is so confusing. They also said that they did not report this debt to any of the credit agencies. So now I am very confused about WHY the debt collector would no longer represent the debt? I tried to get it out of them the reason for this, but the only "possible" explanation was that it was returned because of being in disputed status BUT that was not a solid answer and there was clearly more to it that they would not say...
FOR ALL OF YOU WONDERING THE AFOREMENTIONED STATUTE: The debt collection company made it clear that once the debt was disputed by me, that they cannot legally proceed with reporting the debt to any CRA.