I have a question

They have the right to collect from you, but check and see what bonds and/or licensing is required in your state to collect. If they don't have these then they can't collect from you.

If these debts get placed on your credit report and you do intend to pay them, there is a way to get them removed by bypassing the CA together. You MUST NOT have any contact with the CA and send a payment to the original creditor (the dr office or whatever) in the form of a cashier's check with a restrictive endorsement that allows ONLY that place to cash the check (that way they can't forward it to the CA). Once they have cashed the check, you then need to send a letter to the CA stating that the account is paid in full and that you have NO business relationship with them, that per the HIPPA laws they MUST remove the account from your reports immediately. If they do not, they can get in some serious trouble.