Medical debt and credit
Medical debt has special credit reporting rules.
Credit reporting
Equifax, Experian and TransUnion voluntarily stopped reporting paid medical collections in July 2022, stopped reporting medical collections with an initial balance under $500 in April 2023, and wait one year before an unpaid medical collection can appear. If one of these shows up on your report, dispute it with the bureau.
The vacated federal rule
In January 2025 the CFPB issued a rule that would have removed most medical debt from credit reports. A federal court in Texas vacated it on July 11, 2025, so it never took effect. Some states have their own medical debt reporting laws, and their reach is being tested in court.
Collections
If a medical bill goes to collections, you have rights under federal debt collection law.