Paragon Revenue Group on Your Credit Report: What to Know

If Paragon Revenue Group (PRG) has appeared on your credit report, the debt is a medical bill. PRG operates as a division of Jon Barry & Associates, Inc. and has specialized in healthcare collections since 1986.

Multiple consumer attorney sources confirm PRG is not known for filing lawsuits against consumers. Their most documented complaint pattern is collecting on hospital balances that insurance already paid.

This guide covers who PRG is, their documented patterns, and how to respond.

Who Is Paragon Revenue Group?

Paragon Revenue Group is a division of Jon Barry & Associates, Inc., a third-party healthcare debt collection agency founded in 1986 in Concord, North Carolina. The company employs approximately 110 people, generates about $9.9 million in revenue, and is licensed to collect in 35 states.

PRG is not BBB-accredited and has accumulated 144 BBB complaints in the past three years and 287 CFPB complaints. They have been named in approximately 30 federal lawsuits.

The Insurance-Paid Balance Problem

The single most documented complaint pattern against PRG involves collecting on hospital balances that insurance had already paid.

A documented 2019 Lemberg Law complaint describes a consumer who received a $28,000 hospital bill for services from 2015 through 2016. The charges were initially rejected by insurance as out of normal billing range. Despite the rejection, the insurance company ultimately paid all of the bills. The patient also paid all required copays. PRG subsequently sent a collection letter for the same balances.

When the consumer called PRG to explain, the representative was rude and unhelpful.

Before paying any PRG balance, pull your explanation of benefits for every service date referenced in their collection letter. If insurance processed and paid the claim, send that documentation to PRG by certified mail. Dispute the credit report entry simultaneously with all three bureaus.

VCU Health as a Confirmed Client

A documented consumer review references Virginia Commonwealth University Health (VCU) as the original provider behind a PRG collection. The consumer noted they had been told insurance would cover the bill before receiving a PRG letter for $90.

If PRG is contacting you about a VCU or university health system balance, contact the provider’s patient financial services department directly before engaging PRG. Large academic medical centers frequently have financial assistance programs and charity care options that can eliminate or reduce balances that reach collections.

Multiple Phone Numbers and Call Blocking

PRG uses multiple phone numbers to contact consumers, making call blocking ineffective. Documented consumer complaints describe receiving calls from different numbers despite blocking previous ones.

Under Regulation F, a collector cannot call more than 7 times in 7 days on the same debt regardless of which number they use. Track every PRG call across all numbers and add them together for Regulation F compliance purposes.

If the total exceeds 7 in 7 days from any combination of PRG numbers, that is a Regulation F violation worth filing a CFPB complaint about.

Federal Cases Against PRG

Three documented federal cases highlight PRG’s collection practice disputes: Lipinski v. Jon Barry and Associates, Inc., Wilson v. Paragon Revenue Group, and Martinez v. Paragon Revenue Group. All three involve consumer rights allegations that proceeded in federal court.

If PRG has threatened you with arrest, made false statements about the debt, or used abusive language during a call, document the specific date, time, and content and consult a consumer protection attorney.

What PRG Cannot Do Under Federal Law

The FDCPA applies to Paragon Revenue Group. Under federal law, they cannot:

• Collect on balances insurance has already paid: The most documented PRG complaint category.
• Call more than 7 times in 7 days on the same debt: Regulation F limit across all phone numbers combined.
• Use rude or abusive language during collection calls: Documented in consumer complaints.
• Threaten lawsuits or wage garnishment they do not intend to pursue: Multiple attorney sources confirm PRG does not sue consumers.
• Call outside permitted hours: Contact is only allowed between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in your time zone.

File complaints at consumerfinance.gov. North Carolina residents can also file with the North Carolina Department of Justice Consumer Protection Division.

Medical Debt Reporting Rules Apply

Because PRG collects exclusively for healthcare providers, specific credit reporting protections apply. Medical debts under $500 are not reported, paid medical collections are removed, and unpaid medical debt has a one-year waiting period before reporting.

If your account falls under any of these categories, dispute it immediately with each credit bureau.

Verify Insurance Before Paying Anything

Pull your explanation of benefits for every service date PRG references. Confirm the claim was submitted to your insurer and how it was adjudicated. Send a written debt validation request by certified mail within 30 days of first contact.

Ask for the original provider, the service dates, an itemized bill, and confirmation of all insurance claims submitted and their outcomes.

How to Check Your Credit Report for PRG Errors

Pull your credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Is the original healthcare provider identified? Is the balance consistent with your insurance EOB? Was the account reported before the one-year medical debt waiting period?

Any inaccuracy is grounds for a dispute.

How Long Can PRG Legally Pursue the Debt?

North Carolina has a 3-year statute of limitations on most consumer debts. The relevant state is typically where you currently reside.

Your Options for Resolving a PRG Account

Once you have verified the debt:

• Verify with the original provider first: Large hospital systems and academic medical centers often have financial assistance programs that may reduce or eliminate the balance.
• Send insurance payment proof by certified mail: If insurance paid the balance, this is your most effective response.
• Negotiate a settlement: PRG does negotiate. A starting point of 50 percent of the balance is documented. Get any agreement in writing before paying.
• Dispute if inaccurate: If insurance paid the balance or medical debt reporting rules apply, dispute with the credit bureaus.

How to Contact Paragon Revenue Group

Handle all communication in writing. Note that PRG is a division of Jon Barry & Associates, Inc.:

• Address: Paragon Revenue Group / Jon Barry & Associates, Inc., 216 Le Phillip Ct NE, Concord, NC 28025
• Mailing address: PO Box 127, Concord, NC 28025
• Phone: (800) 868-1899

Bottom Line

Paragon Revenue Group is a North Carolina healthcare collector that does not sue consumers. Their most consistent documented issue is collecting on hospital balances insurance had already paid.

Pull your EOB before engaging. Send insurance payment proof by certified mail if the balance was covered. Track all PRG calls across all phone numbers for Regulation F purposes.