How Long Does Medical Debt Stay on Your Credit Report?
Short answer: it depends on how much you owe, how long the bill has gone unpaid, whether you’ve paid it since, and which rules apply today. Those rules changed in 2023 and again in 2025, so it’s easy to feel lost.
Here’s what’s true right now, in plain terms, with sources. The date this article was last reviewed appears above.
What the Rules Say Now
Three sets of rules affect how medical debt appears on credit reports: credit bureau policies, federal regulations, and state laws.
Credit Bureau Policies
Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, the three national credit bureaus, adopted new medical debt reporting policies in 2022 and 2023.
Under these policies:
- Paid medical balances are removed from credit reports.
- Medical balances under $500 are not reported.
- An unpaid medical balance of $500 or more is not reported until it has been delinquent for at least one year.
The bureaus extended this waiting period from six months to one year as part of their medical-debt reporting policies. This gives consumers more time to address insurance questions and billing errors before the balance affects their credit report.
These policies remain in effect, and the bureaus have not announced any changes.
Federal Regulations
In January 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule that would have removed medical debt from credit reports and prohibited lenders from considering it.
However, a federal court in Texas vacated the rule in July 2025. The court found that it exceeded the CFPB’s authority under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. As a result, the rule never took effect.
Unpaid medical balances that meet the credit bureaus’ reporting thresholds may therefore still appear on credit reports, and lenders may consider them. The Fair Credit Reporting Act still governs how long an account may be reported and how disputes must be handled.
State Laws
Some states have established additional limits on medical debt credit reporting. These include laws that prohibit consumer reporting agencies from including medical debt on the credit reports of residents in those states.
These protections apply regardless of the federal position. However, the requirements, coverage, and effective dates vary by state.
Massachusetts residents should refer to the current Massachusetts position as of this page’s review date.
What happens during the one-year waiting period?
Medical bills often turn out to be an insurance mix-up or a billing error, and your credit shouldn’t suffer while that gets sorted out. That’s why the bureaus wait a full year. During that time, the bill is still real, and you may still hear about it, but it won’t be on your credit report.
Use that year well:
- Ask your insurer what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Ask for an itemized bill so you can see exactly what you’re being charged for.
- Question anything that looks wrong.
- If you can, pay the bill or set up a payment plan. A bill paid within the year is never reported, and a payment plan can keep it below the reporting threshold.
If First Financial Resources is handling your account, our written notice will show the balance and the name of the provider you originally owed. We put any payment plan you set up with us in writing before your first payment. One thing to know: the year starts from the date your provider marked the bill overdue, not from the day you first hear from us.
How do I check whether a medical balance is on my report?
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Get your free reports | Federal law entitles you to free credit reports, and right now you can get one from each bureau every week at the official site, annualcreditreport.com. |
| 2. Find the account | Look for the entry under the name of the firm reporting it. You’ll see the firm’s name, the original provider where listed, the date opened, the balance, and the date the bill first went overdue. |
| 3. Compare it with your notice | The balance, the provider, and the dates should all match. If anything is off, dispute it in writing with both the bureau and the reporting firm, and keep copies. |
| 4. Check the thresholds | If the bill is under $500 or you’ve already paid it, it shouldn’t be there. If it is, your dispute can point to the bureaus’ own policy. |
Frequently asked questions
Q1: How do I get medical debt removed from my credit report?
A: It depends on why it’s there.
- If the balance has been paid, it should have come off automatically. If it’s still showing, dispute it and include proof of payment.
- If the initial reported balance is under $500, same thing. It shouldn’t be there. Dispute it.
- If the account is not yours, or the amount is wrong, dispute it in writing with the bureau and the firm reporting it. Both must investigate, usually within thirty days, and remove anything they can’t verify. Keep copies of everything.
- If the balance is accurate and unpaid, it can remain on the credit report. Paying or resolving the bill is what gets it removed. When you resolve an account with First Financial Resources, we confirm it in writing so you have proof to send the bureau if it doesn’t come off on its own.
Q2: When does medical debt fall off?
A: An unpaid medical bill of $500 or more can stay on your report for up to seven years from the date you first fell behind with your provider – not from when it went to a recovery firm, and not from when it was first reported. Because the first year is a waiting period, the bill is visible for at most six years. A paid bill is removed rather than left to expire. The seven-year period comes from the Fair Credit Reporting Act and applies to most negative updates, not only medical balances.
Q3: What does this mean for a balance placed with FFR?
A: We’ll tell you in writing whether your account may be reported and under what conditions. The surest way to keep it off your report, or get it removed, is to resolve it — by paying it or by setting up a plan you can realistically stick to. If you’d like to know what to expect from us before then, our consumer help page explains how we get in touch and how to question or verify an account.
Let’s Work Toward a Resolution
We understand that every financial situation is different. Our team takes the time to listen, answer questions, and help consumers understand the options available for their accounts.
Call us at 800-747-2302 or send us a message.
