Medical Debt on Your Credit Report in 2026: What Should Already Be Gone

Medical debt has been through more rule changes in the last four years than any other category on a credit report. The result is that many reports still carry medical collections that should not be there. Here is where things stand and what to do.

What the bureaus already removed voluntarily

Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion announced joint policy changes that took effect in stages:

• July 2022: paid medical collections removed from reports.
• July 2022: unpaid medical collections not reported until one year after the debt went to collections (previously six months).
• April 2023: medical collections with an initial balance under $500 removed.

These are bureau policies, not federal law, but the bureaus committed to them publicly. A paid medical collection or one under $500 appearing on your report today conflicts with the bureau's own stated practice.

What happened to the federal rule

In January 2025 the CFPB finalized a rule that would have removed medical debt from credit reports used in most lending decisions. The rule was challenged in court and vacated before it took effect. As of 2026 there is no federal regulation banning medical debt from credit reports. That does not change the bureau policies above, and it does not change your FCRA rights to dispute inaccurate medical collections.

States that went further

A number of states have passed their own laws restricting how medical debt can be reported or used, and more are considering them. Protections vary widely: some bar reporting entirely, some cover only certain providers or amounts. If you live in a state with such a law, a medical collection on your report may be disputable on that ground alone. Check your state attorney general's consumer protection page for the current rules.

How to dispute medical collections

1. Sort them. List every medical collection with its balance, whether it is paid, and the date it went to collections.
2. Dispute the ones that violate bureau policy. Paid, or originally under $500: cite the policy and FCRA section 611, and request deletion.
3. Validate the rest. Medical debt is often billed incorrectly, sent to collections while insurance is still processing, or sold with minimal documentation. Send a debt validation request under FDCPA section 809 to the collector.
4. Check for HIPAA-sensitive detail. Collectors should not disclose the nature of the medical service. Improper disclosure is its own issue.
5. Ask about financial assistance. Nonprofit hospitals must have financial assistance policies. If you qualified at the time of service, the bill may be reducible or voidable, which changes what can be reported.

Does removing medical debt help my score?

Newer scoring models such as FICO 9 and VantageScore 3.0 and 4.0 already weigh medical collections less heavily, and ignore paid collections. Many mortgage lenders still use older FICO versions that count them fully. Removing medical collections can move a mortgage-relevant score noticeably.

Our engine sweeps medical debt first on every file, because it is the fastest category to clear. Start the free assessment or call (425) 610-7779.