A letter or call from "Receivable Solutions, Inc." -- or "RSI" -- about a hospital or doctor bill is unsettling, but the short version is simple: it's a real medical collection agency, not a scam. The version that actually helps you is that a medical balance is often wrong, frequently reducible, and negotiable -- so you check the bill and ask the provider about assistance before you pay it.
Short answer
Yes, Receivable Solutions, Inc. (RSI) is legit -- a Columbia, South Carolina healthcare collection agency that collects hospital and provider bills, usually on the provider's behalf. Get an itemized statement, match every line to your EOB, ask the original provider about charity care, demand written validation, and check the statute of limitations before you pay or promise anything.
Who Receivable Solutions, Inc. is
Receivable Solutions, Inc. is a collection agency focused on healthcare, based in Columbia, South Carolina. It does revenue-cycle management and receivables work for providers -- collecting hospital, physician-group, clinic, lab, and imaging balances. On these accounts it collects for the provider rather than owning the debt, which means it's an agency, not a debt buyer: the provider set the balance and still controls it. Because it regularly collects debts, RSI is a debt collector under the FDCPA, and written validation forces this agency to name the provider and produce the itemized balance. One caution: "Receivable Solutions" / "RSI" is a fairly generic name, so confirm you're dealing with the Columbia, South Carolina healthcare-collections agency and not another similarly named "receivable solutions" firm.
Run the medical playbook first
Because medical bills are riddled with errors, do these things before you pay a dime or promise anything:
- Get an itemized statement and match your EOB. Go line by line: dispute duplicates, services you didn't receive, coding errors, and charges insurance should have paid but never did.
- Assert the No Surprises Act for emergency care or out-of-network ancillary charges (like anesthesia, radiology, or lab) at an in-network facility -- part of the balance may be limited or barred.
- Ask the ORIGINAL PROVIDER about charity care, financial assistance, and a sliding scale FIRST. Nonprofit hospitals must offer financial assistance under IRS 501(r), and qualifying can shrink or erase the balance -- providers often pause collection while an application is pending.
Because RSI is an agency, not the owner
This matters. Since RSI collects for the provider rather than owning the debt, written validation forces it to go back to the source: it has to name the original provider and produce the itemized balance. If it can't tie the account to a specific provider and a real itemized statement, you shouldn't be paying it. Ask for that in writing, and don't rely on a phone total.
How to deal with RSI
- Don't admit the debt or promise payment on a call before you've validated it and reviewed the itemized charges against your EOB.
- Check the statute of limitations -- an account too old to sue is a different situation, and a payment or written promise can restart the clock.
- Keep records of every letter and call, put your requests in writing, and never ignore a summons.
Is it a scam?
No -- Receivable Solutions, Inc. is a real, licensed collection agency, not a fake front. But two risks are real. First, impostors: scammers use real-sounding agency names, invent a "lawsuit" or "arrest," and demand payment "today" by gift card, wire, or app -- verify independently, and remember a real agency validates in writing. This is also why the generic-name check matters: confirm it's the Columbia, South Carolina healthcare agency. Second, wrong or inflated medical balances: billing errors, un-run insurance, and duplicate charges are common, which is exactly why you itemize and match your EOB before paying. Like any busy agency, RSI can draw consumer complaints -- that alone doesn't make it illegitimate. Keep any regulatory or complaint chatter in perspective and focus on validating your specific account.
If it's a genuinely-owed medical debt
Ask about charity care or financial assistance first -- that can beat any settlement. If you don't qualify and the balance is validated, genuinely yours, unsecured, and within the statute of limitations, a medical account is usually negotiable in writing -- providers and their agencies often accept a reduced lump sum or a no-interest payment plan. Negotiate in writing and get the terms on paper: the amount, that it resolves the account in full, and how it will be reported. Keep the agreement and proof of every payment. If more than $600 of a balance is forgiven, you may receive a 1099-C and the forgiven amount could be treated as taxable income; consider asking a tax professional. If the debt is unmanageable, bankruptcy may discharge qualifying medical balances -- a separate legal path with its own consequences.
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Your rights and timelines vary by state; consider consulting a qualified attorney, a nonprofit credit counselor, legal aid, or your state attorney general's office.