Receivables Outsourcing on Your Credit Report: What to Know

Receivables Outsourcing, Inc. has collected medical debts for hospitals and physician groups since 1982. The company also operates under the names The ROI Companies and Bolder Healthcare, and was acquired by Cognizant, a global technology company. Any of these names in connection with a medical collection may refer to the same Timonium, Maryland operation.

Documented FDCPA complaint categories against ROI include using prohibited communication tactics and attempting to collect debts not owed. This guide covers who Receivables Outsourcing is and how to respond.

Who Is Receivables Outsourcing?

Receivables Outsourcing, Inc. (ROI) is a third-party medical debt collection agency founded in 1982 and incorporated in 1995, headquartered in Timonium, Maryland. The BBB has accredited them since 2010 and has recorded 17 complaints over a three-year period.

The CFPB has closed 31 complaints against them. Two civil litigation cases appear in Justia records including a documented federal PACER case in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

ROI collects for hospitals and physician groups nationwide. They also provide medical billing and coding services through their Bolder Healthcare division. Consumer attorneys confirm ROI rarely files lawsuits against consumers.

Three Names, One Company

Receivables Outsourcing, Inc. appears on credit reports and correspondence under three names: Receivables Outsourcing, The ROI Companies, and Bolder Healthcare. The Cognizant acquisition also means the company may communicate under Cognizant-affiliated branding in some contexts.

If any of these names appears on your credit report alongside a medical account, confirm the Timonium, Maryland address before assuming the entry is a separate company. Search all three credit reports for all name variants before filing disputes.

Prohibited Communication Tactics

A documented FDCPA complaint category against ROI is using prohibited communication tactics. This category covers a range of potential violations including calling outside permitted hours, contacting third parties about a consumer’s debt, continuing contact after a written cease request, and failing to identify as a debt collector during communications.

If ROI has called your workplace after being told personal calls are not permitted, contacted a family member about your account, or called before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., document each incident with date, time, and what was said.

Attempting to Collect Debts Not Owed

A second documented FDCPA complaint category against ROI is attempting to collect debts not owed. In a healthcare collection context, this frequently means pursuing a balance that insurance already paid, a balance tied to a billing error, or a balance attributed to the wrong patient.

If ROI is collecting a balance you do not recognize or that your insurer shows was paid, request an itemized bill from the original provider and your insurer’s explanation of benefits before engaging or paying anything.

Maryland’s Additional Debt Collection Protections

Maryland has its own Maryland Debt Collection Act that provides consumer protections in addition to the federal FDCPA. Maryland consumers can file complaints with the Maryland Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at (410) 528-8662 in addition to the CFPB.

Maryland also has a 3-year statute of limitations on written contracts, shorter than most states. If ROI is collecting a medical debt from several years ago, confirm the date of service and your state’s statute of limitations before engaging.

Medical Debt Reporting Rules Apply Directly

Because ROI collects exclusively for healthcare providers, current CFPB medical debt reporting rules apply to every account they report. Medical debts under $500 cannot appear on any consumer credit report. Any medical debt must also wait one full year past the date of first delinquency before being reported, regardless of the balance.

If ROI has reported a medical balance under $500, dispute it immediately. If the debt is less than one year past due, dispute it regardless of the amount.

What ROI Cannot Do Under Federal and Maryland Law

Based on their documented complaint categories:

• Use prohibited communication tactics: A documented FDCPA complaint category. This includes calling outside permitted hours, contacting third parties, continuing contact after a cease request, and failing to identify as a debt collector.
• Attempt to collect debts not owed: A documented FDCPA complaint category. In medical billing, this frequently involves insurance payments not reflected in the claimed balance.
• Report medical debts under $500: Current CFPB rules prohibit this outright.
• Report medical debts less than one year past due: The one-year waiting period applies regardless of balance.
• Violate Maryland’s Debt Collection Act: Maryland law provides additional consumer remedies independent of the FDCPA.

Verify the Debt Before Paying Anything

Send a written validation request by certified mail within 30 days of first contact. Request the original hospital or physician group name, the date of service, the itemized bill, and your insurer’s explanation of benefits showing what was paid and what remains as patient responsibility.

Maryland has a 3-year statute of limitations on written contracts. Confirm the date of service before engaging with ROI on any account that may be several years old.

How to Check Your Credit Report for ROI Entries

Search all three credit reports for “Receivables Outsourcing,” “ROI Companies,” and “Bolder Healthcare.” Confirm the original healthcare provider is identified and the balance reflects post-insurance patient responsibility. Check that the balance is above $500 and at least one year past due before accepting the entry as properly reported.

Your Options for Resolving an ROI Account

• Dispute medical entries under $500 or less than one year old immediately: CFPB rules make both categories disputable without waiting for ROI’s response.
• Compare the claimed balance against your insurer’s EOB before paying: ROI’s documented “debt not owed” complaint category reflects a common medical billing pattern where insurance payments are not reflected in the collection balance.
• Document any prohibited communication immediately: ROI’s documented FDCPA complaint category covers calls outside permitted hours, workplace calls, and third-party contacts. Each incident requires date, time, and what was said.
• Maryland residents can file with the state AG in addition to CFPB: The Maryland Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division handles state Debt Collection Act complaints independently.

How to Contact Receivables Outsourcing

• Office address: Receivables Outsourcing, Inc., 1920 Greenspring Drive, Suite 200, Timonium, MD 21093
• Mailing address: P.O. Box 549, Timonium, MD 21094
• Phone: (800) 234-1357 or (410) 616-2500

Bottom Line

Receivables Outsourcing collects exclusively for hospitals and physician groups and operates under three names, any of which may appear on your credit report. Their two documented FDCPA complaint categories are prohibited communication tactics and collecting debts not owed, the latter of which is common in medical billing when insurance payments are not reflected in the collection amount.

Before paying anything ROI claims, compare the balance against your insurer’s explanation of benefits and confirm the account is above $500 and at least one year past due. Maryland’s 3-year statute of limitations is shorter than most states, making the age of any medical account especially worth confirming.