Research Findings: Reducing Medical Expenses on Credit Reports

A new study suggests most people experience relief when their medical debt isn’t reported to the credit reporting agencies.

According to The Intake, a business-to-business publication sponsored by Tebra, a company that sells medical software to private practices, one in five Americans today are grappling with medical debt and unpaid medical bills. The total of such a hefty debt equals approximately $88 billion and affects more than 43 million credit reports.

Addressing this, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in September began the rulemaking process of removing medical bills from Americans’ credit reports. Vice President Kamala Harris proposed the changes in April 2022.

“Getting sick or taking care of loved ones should not mean financial hardship for American families,” the White House wrote in April 2022. “That is why the Administration is taking new action to ease the burden of medical debt and protect consumers from predatory collection policies. These actions build upon the President’s April 5th Executive Order on strengthening access to affordable, quality health care coverage, which directed federal agencies to take action to reduce the burden of medical debt.”

As for the study, it found that out of the 1,000 Americans surveyed, 78% expressed relief at their medical debt not being reported to credit agencies, 19% were neutral, and 3% opposed the notion.

The study concludes that “the strong support for the CFPB’s proposed medical debt credit reporting change shows a nation desiring a more compassionate approach to unpredictable debts, where patients are not penalized for unforeseen or overwhelming healthcare expenses.”