Not all medical debts can be reported or remain on patient’s credit history. In fact, major credit scoring agencies, such as FICO and VantageScore, have adjusted their scoring models in recent years, diminishing the negative impact of unpaid medical bills on a consumer’s credit score compared to other types of debt like credit card debt or loans.
This does not restrict ability of collection agencies to pursue medical debt recovery. In fact if a medical debt is assigned for professional debt collectors within 180 days, chances of recovery are a lot higher.
Medical debts that are not report-able to credit bureaus typically include:
- Debts in Grace Period: Medical debts often have a grace period before they can be reported to credit bureaus. As of recent guidelines, there is a 1-year waiting period to give individuals time to resolve disputes with insurance companies or to arrange payment plans. This means medical debts cannot be reported until 365 days after the account was reported as delinquent.
- Small Debts: Some credit bureaus have policies against reporting minor debts. For example, debts under $500 (the threshold can vary) may not be reported.
- Paid Debts: Previously, paid medical debts could remain on credit reports for up to seven years. However, major credit bureaus have changed their policies, and now paid medical debts are either not reported or removed from the credit report shortly after being paid off.The three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — have agreed to remove paid medical debt from credit reports, a policy shift aimed at reducing the negative impact of such debt. As of July 2022, paid medical collection debt is no longer included on consumer credit reports.
- Debts Covered by Insurance: Debts that are eventually paid by insurance should not be reported to credit bureaus. If a debt is reported and later paid by insurance, it should be removed from the credit report.
- Debts in Dispute: If a medical debt is being disputed, it should not be reported until the dispute is resolved. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) provides protections for consumers, including the right to dispute inaccuracies.
Unpaid medical debt can remain on a credit report for up to seven years, similar to other types of collection accounts. Although lesser, still this can long-term affect credit access and costs.
It’s important to note that the policies and practices regarding the reporting of medical debt can vary by credit bureau and are subject to change due to regulations or policy updates. Consumers have rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to dispute inaccuracies in their credit reports, including inaccurately reported medical debt.