time, if ever.

First, any initial "collection agency" is probably just a third party the provider sold your account receivable to for a discount. They take $40 from them now, to keep staff time/cost down on chasing down little amounts. The third party's business is literally to make $20 for those activities.

Almost no medical provider I have used in the last 5 years has billed for a copay. A third party has done it. I never got anything from the provider. And, it took months to ever receive anything.

As to why you got denied on the store card, for the big bonus, anybody's guess. It may take a 850 score to actually get that deal. Open one without that carrot, and you could get approved.

It's like zero financing on autos, that's to get you in and wanting to buy, but you find out you can only get 2%, but you buy anyway.
[Post edited by UEMcGill at 12/13/2020 12:04AM]