Closer Look at Medical Debt

Medical debt is the most common collection tradeline reported on consumer credit records. People also report being contacted by debt collectors about medical debt more than any other type of debt. While medical debt has long played an outsized role on credit reports, concerns about medical debt collections and reporting are particularly elevated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people have incurred pandemic-related medical debt. Chapter 1 summarizes key areas of concern in medical debt collections and reporting. Chapter 2 reviews a bill to amend the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.