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Unpaid hospital bills can affect your credit

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Credit Advice

Topics addressed on November 12, 2008:

Unpaid hospital bills can affect your credit

Dear Max,

Do unpaid, uninsured hospital bills affect your credit?

- SSI

Dear SSI,

Yes, unpaid hospital bills can affect your credit report if they are sent to a collection agency to recover the amount you owe.

Medical collection accounts can appear on your credit report because they are debts you owe that could affect your ability to repay other current or future debt. When a lender receives your report, Experian lists the collection account as “medical collection.”

We remove the name of the medical facility or physician so that businesses reviewing your credit report do not receive information that could indicate the medical condition for which you were treated and which could affect a businesses decision, such as hiring for a new job.

However, when you request a copy of your personal report, the source of the collection account is provided as it was reported to Experian by the collection agency so that you will know who is reporting the information and can contact it if necessary.

A medical collection is typically evaluated like any other unpaid debt and likely will have a serious impact on credit scores and your ability to obtain new credit.

Thanks for asking.

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