Is This Medical Collection Still Reportable Under Current Rules?
Medical debt rules changed significantly in 2023. Collections under $500, paid medical debts, and insurance-pending claims may no longer legally appear on your credit report. Use MedCheck to find out which rules apply to your situation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What changed about medical debt on credit reports in 2023?
In 2023, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion agreed under the National Consumer Assistance Plan (NCAP) to stop reporting medical collections under $500 and to remove paid medical collections within 60 days. Previously, even a $5 medical bill could appear on your credit report for 7 years after going to collections. These changes were driven by CFPB pressure and research showing medical debt is a poor predictor of creditworthiness.
Does paying a medical collection remove it from my credit report?
Yes — as of the 2022–2023 NCAP agreement, the three major bureaus must remove paid medical collections from credit reports within 60 days of payment. This is a significant change from prior rules where paid collections could remain on your report for years. If a paid medical collection is not removed within 60 days, dispute it with each bureau directly.
Do medical collections affect my credit score?
It depends on the scoring model. VantageScore 4.0 ignores all medical debt entirely. FICO 9 and FICO 10 give significantly less weight to paid medical collections compared to other paid collections. Older FICO models (FICO 8, still used by many mortgage lenders) treat medical collections similarly to other collections. Ask your lender which scoring model they use — this matters especially for mortgage applications.
What if the bill is being disputed with my insurance company?
Medical collections that are pending insurance payment or under active dispute with an insurer should not be reported to credit bureaus. If a collector is reporting a debt you believe is the responsibility of your insurer, dispute the item with both the bureau and the collector. Include documentation showing the claim is pending or in dispute. The CFPB provides tools to submit complaints if the collector does not comply.
Is the CFPB proposing to ban all medical debt from credit reports?
Yes. In 2024, the CFPB proposed a rule that would prohibit credit bureaus from including medical debt information in consumer credit reports entirely. The rule would also ban creditors from using medical debt in underwriting decisions. This rule was not finalized as of mid-2026 — check cfpb.gov for current status. Even without this rule, the 2023 NCAP changes have already removed most low-balance medical debt from reports.