So I got lucky. Despite the collections notice, I've located the correct EOB, linked up the hospital, my insurance, and the collections agency, and they should be ironing out the charge (which should have been applied as an insurance discount). I've also realized this is possibly the most inept collection agency ever.

It turns out this was a claim from May of 2016. Yes, you read that right, 2016, two years ago. I vaguely remember getting a notice, calling the agency, assuring them that insurance would cover it but the claim just hadn't been processed yet, and I never heard from them again. So my alleged debt just sat on their books FOR TWO YEARS! Maybe you might want to follow up once a year or so?

I checked my credit score through Credit Karma and my annual credit report, though, and luckily it hasn't seemed to make a difference. I'm actually pleased at how well it went considering it could have been like my prior experiences, but who knows, maybe there are so many people being sent to collection for far larger debts than mine that it isn't the black mark it once was.

On another positive note, I made sure to get to Macy's Flower Show this week, which is always stunning, but this year I thought they did a particularly fabulous job with a fairy tale theme. To say it was magical is trite, but it really is something beyond the ordinary display you would find even at a botanical garden. It will be there until April 8th and if you're in NYC, I highly, highly recommend it!