Does medical debt go on your credit report?
A medical collection is a medical bill that's been passed to a debt collector, and it's the main way medical debt reaches a credit report. The current rules: small medical collections aren't reported, there's a one-year wait, and paid ones come off. What to do if one is on your report.
Updated October 5, 2026 · 1 min read
The short version
- Under the credit bureaus' current policies, medical collections under $500 aren't reported.
- They wait a year before reporting one, and paid medical collections are removed.
- If one on your report is wrong, dispute it with the bureau and with the collector.
Equifax, Experian and TransUnion changed how they handle medical collections in 2022 and 2023. A federal rule that would have removed all medical debt from credit reports was vacated by a court in 2025, so the bureaus' own policies are what apply today.
What are the credit bureaus' current rules?
- Medical collections under $500 aren't reported.
- Medical collections aren't reported until they're at least a year old.
- Paid medical collections are removed.
These are voluntary bureau policies, and several states have stronger medical-debt laws.
What if a medical debt is on your report?
- Get your free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com.
- Check the amount, the date and whether it's yours.
- If it's wrong, under $500, or already paid, dispute it with the bureau that shows it.
- Also dispute it with the collector in writing, and ask the original provider whether insurance or financial assistance should have covered it.
Paying a collection gets it removed under current policies, but check first that the amount is right. This guide is educational, not legal or financial advice.
Educational information only, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules vary by state and plan.