Do medical bills affect your credit?

Yes, unpaid medical bills can affect your credit, but recent rules offer significant protections: debts under $500, paid medical bills, and those less than a year old (with a 365-day grace period after becoming delinquent) generally won't appear on your credit report, though larger, older unpaid debts sent to collections will likely hurt your score. Rules can vary by state, and a federal rule to block medical debt reporting was recently blocked in court, so it's crucial to monitor your reports.

Do unpaid medical bills affect your credit?

Yes, unpaid medical bills can affect your credit, but recent changes mean only larger, older, and sent-to-collections debts typically show up, with paid bills and those under $500 generally excluded by major bureaus. However, a federal court ruling reversed a rule to remove all medical debt, allowing reporting of overdue, >$500 bills over a year old to continue impacting scores. Some states have stronger protections, preventing reporting altogether. 

Do unpaid medical bills ever go away?

By hospital or provider write-offs

Some providers write off uncollected bills after a certain period has passed, typically when they determine the patient cannot or will not pay. This is largely an accounting action, though, and the debt may still be assigned to collections.

What happens if you don't pay medical bills under $1000?

Your bill may be sent to collections even if it's under $1,000. There's a common misconception that small medical bills never get sent to collections. However, providers can (and do) send low-dollar accounts to collection agencies once they consider them past due. Some will wait 90 days; others will wait longer.

How much will my credit score go down if I don't pay a medical bill?

Unpaid medical debt can significantly hurt your credit score, but major changes now protect consumers: paid medical debt is removed, debts under $500 aren't reported, and collection agencies must wait a year before adding a bill, giving you time to resolve it, with several states like California offering even stronger protections. The impact depends on if it's unpaid, over $500, and how old it is; resolved medical collections, even if previously sent to debt collectors, no longer harm your score. 

How Does Medical Debt Impact Your Credit Score?

Should I ignore medical debt collections?

You can be sued for unpaid medical debt

Even if your credit isn't impacted by ignoring a medical debt that doesn't mean you're out of the woods. Creditors can still sue you for the money you owe.

What is the 7 7 7 rule for collections?

The "777 rule" or "7-in-7 rule" in debt collection, formalized by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) under Regulation F, limits phone calls to seven times within a seven-day period for each specific debt and requires a seven-day wait after a live phone conversation about that debt before calling again. This protects consumers from harassment by setting clear caps on call frequency, though collectors must still follow rules on when they call and can't call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. (unless agreed) or at work if told not to. 

Can a hospital turn you away for unpaid bills?

Even if you owe a hospital for past-due bills, that hospital cannot turn you away from its emergency room. This is your right under a federal law called the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA).

What is the lowest you can pay for medical bills?

There is no single "minimum" amount that applies to all medical bills, but in many cases, the lowest you can pay is far less than the original balance.

Can hospitals come after you for unpaid medical bills?

In most states, hospitals and debt buyers can sue patients to collect on unpaid medical bills. Twelve states limit when hospitals and/or collections agencies can initiate legal action.

How likely are you to get sued for medical bills?

Being sued over medical debt is possible, but it's not inevitable. Most providers and debt collectors prefer to resolve accounts before turning to court because lawsuits cost time and money.

What is the new rule about medical debt?

In June 2024, the CFPB finalized a rule to eliminate all medical debt from most credit reports and ban lenders from using medical debt collection information to make underwriting decisions. However, in July 2025, a judge overturned this rule, as discussed in more detail below.

How to clear medical debt without paying?

5 Useful Tips to Help You Erase Medical Debt

1. 1) Negotiate a Lower Amount or Set Up a Payment Plan. You may be able to negotiate a reduction in the amount of your medical bills. ...
2. 2) Hire a Medical Bill Advocate. ...
3. 3) Apply for Charity Care. ...
4. 4) Try Crowdfunding. ...
5. 5) Declaring Bankruptcy: The Last Card to Play.

What are the consequences of not paying medical bills?

Not paying medical bills leads to debt collection, severe credit score damage (though smaller bills get more grace), potential lawsuits, wage garnishment, bank levies, and significant financial stress, impacting your ability to get future loans, housing, or even jobs, though federal rules now shield medical debt under $500 on credit reports. It's crucial to communicate with providers to set up payment plans or seek assistance to avoid these escalating consequences.
 

What is the medical debt Forgiveness Act 2025?

About the debt relief program

Public Health partnered with the non-profit organization Undue Medical Debt to implement the program. Residents started to receive letters to say their debt was canceled in May 2025 and, as of December 2, 2025, over $363 million of medical debt has been erased for over 171,000 residents.

Can you have a 700 credit score with collections?

Yes, it's theoretically possible, but very difficult and uncommon to have a 700 credit score with an active collection account, as collections are major negative marks that significantly lower scores. Your score's fate depends heavily on the scoring model (older ones penalize more), the age of the collection, if it's medical debt, your overall credit history (payment history, low utilization, age), and whether you can get it removed or paid, but newer models like FICO 9 and VantageScore 4.0 might weigh them less, especially after payment. 

What is the golden rule in medical billing?

The golden rule in medical billing is "If it's not documented, it didn't happen": only code and bill for services that are thoroughly, accurately, and contemporaneously documented in the patient's medical record to ensure compliance, justify payment, and avoid fraud or penalties. This means ensuring every service, diagnosis, and finding is clearly recorded at the time of care, as incomplete or late documentation can lead to claim denials or audits. 

How to pay for a hospital bill you cannot afford?

Financial assistance programs, sometimes called “charity care,” provide free or discounted health care to people who need help paying their medical bills. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires hospitals with 501(c)(3) nonprofit status to have programs to provide this care .

What happens if you don't pay medical bills under $500?

However, you have a long time to pay medical bills before they impact your credit, and medical debt under $500 won't affect your credit score at all. Certain unpaid medical debt in collections can negatively impact your credit score, but medical debt under $500 has no effect on your credit.

Can you lose your home over unpaid medical bills?

California

California allows healthcare providers to place a lien on your property for unpaid medical bills. This means that if you sell your home, the lien must be satisfied before you receive any proceeds from the sale.

What happens if you go to the ER and have no money?

If you have a serious medical problem, hospitals must treat you regardless of whether you have insurance. This includes situations that meet the definition of an emergency. Some situations may not be considered true emergencies, such as: Going to the ER for non-life-threatening care.

What are the 11 words to stop a debt collector?

The popular 11-word phrase to stop debt collectors is: "Please cease and desist all calls and contact with me, immediately". This written request, sent via certified mail under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), legally requires collectors to stop contacting you, except to inform you of a lawsuit or other specific actions, but doesn't erase the debt itself. 

What's the worst thing a debt collector can do?

DEBT COLLECTORS CANNOT:

• contact you at unreasonable places or times (such as before 8:00 AM or after 9:00 PM local time);
• use or threaten to use violence or criminal means to harm you, your reputation or your property;
• use obscene or profane language;

What happens after 7 years of not paying credit cards?

After 7 years, unpaid credit card debt is typically removed from your credit report, significantly boosting your credit score, but the debt itself doesn't disappear and can still be owed, though its collectability depends on your state's statute of limitations (SOL), which can be shorter or longer and might be reset by small payments, making it crucial to know your state's laws.