Debt & Bankruptcy

Medical Debt

Medical debt is a top reason people are contacted by debt collectors. Unlike other types of debt, medical debt is often unpredictable. People do not plan to get sick or hurt. NCLC works to reduce the burden of medical debt by advocating for laws that eliminate abusive debt collection, stop credit reporting of medical debt, and prevent medical debt at the outset.

Health Care Plastic: The Risks of Medical Credit Cards

April 27, 2023

Many consumers charge medical bills to credit cards. Some consumers end up using specialized medical credit cards to pay health care expenses, especially for expenses generally not covered by health insurance such as dental or vision care. This report discusses these medical credit cards in depth, beginning with a brief background section and then presenting…

Read More about: Health Care Plastic: The Risks of Medical Credit Cards
March 22, 2022
March 9, 2022

Featured

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Model Medical Debt Protection Act

September 1, 2019

NPR: Life and Debt: Getting the hospital bill

May 17, 2023

The Washington Post: 9 tips to help you negotiate a medical bill

May 15, 2023

The New York Times: More Options to Pay for Medical Care, but Some May Be Costly

May 12, 2023

USA Today: Can medical bankruptcy help with medical bills?

May 9, 2023

Health Care Plastic: The Risks of Medical Credit Cards

April 27, 2023

An Arm and a Leg Podcast: Wrestling With a Giant: April Kuehnhoff discusses how to dispute a hospital bill

March 2, 2023

Chi Chi Wu’s testimony in support of  Excluding Medical Debt Information from Consumer Reports (Colorado)

February 22, 2023

MarketWatch: “Why it’s so hard for Black Americans to save for retirement — and how the pandemic escalated the racial wealth gap”

February 2, 2023

Comments & Letters

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Letter to Rohit Chopra Regarding Additional Actions the CFPB Should Take to Protect Consumers with Medical Debt

March 22, 2022

Comments on Amendment Four of Tennessee’s TennCare III Demonstration Application

October 6, 2022

Letter Asking for Rulemaking to Ban Medical Debt from Credit Reports

September 26, 2022

Group Letter to Secretaries Bercerra, McDonough, Yellen, & Director Chopra on Medical Debt

August 15, 2022

Comments on Tenncare III Project Approved Special Terms and Conditions

September 9, 2021

Letter to IRS Regarding Patient Access to Hospital Financial Assistance

May 18, 2020

Letter Supporting the Medical Debt Relief Act

May 11, 2020

Group Letter Urging Congress to Include the Medical Debt Relief Act of 2019 in COVID-19 Package

May 11, 2020

Letter to U.S. House in Support of the Consumer Protection for Medical Debt Collections Act

December 9, 2019

Reports

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Don’t Add Further Insult to Injury: Medical Debt & Credit Reports

January 6, 2023

The Racial Health and Wealth Gap: Impact of Medical Debt on Black Families

March 9, 2022

Report: An Ounce of Prevention

November 1, 2021

Don’t Add Insult to Injury: Medical Debt & Credit Reports

November 4, 2019

Health Care Plastic: The Risks of Medical Credit Cards

April 27, 2023

Strong Medicine Needed: What the CFPB Should Do to Protect Consumers from Unfair Collection and Reporting of Medical Debt

September 20, 2014

Issue Briefs

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What States Can Do to Help Consumers: Medical Debt

January 30, 2020

COVID-19 Medical Debt: First 100 Day Priorities for the Biden Administration

December 1, 2020

Fact Sheet: Medical Debt Collection

March 27, 2019

Testimony

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Chi Chi Wu’s testimony in support of  Excluding Medical Debt Information from Consumer Reports (Colorado)

February 22, 2023

Testimony in Support of House Bill 3076

April 29, 2019

Press Releases

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Biden Administration Issues Order to Reduce Impact of Medical Debt on Federal Loan Programs

August 25, 2022

Advocates Applaud CFPB Report Highlighting the Toll of Inaccurate Medical Billing on Consumers

April 20, 2022

Consumer Advocates Applaud Biden Administration’s New Actions to Lessen the Burden of Medical Debt 

April 11, 2022

Consumer Advocates Cheer Removal of Most Medical Debt from Credit Reports

March 18, 2022

New Report Examines Impact of Medical Debt on Black Families

March 14, 2022

President Biden’s Announcement on Veterans’ Medical Debt Will Lift a Burden from Veteran Families

March 1, 2022

Advocates Applaud VA Rule to Dramatically Reduce Unfavorable Debt on Veterans’ Credit Reports

February 2, 2022

NCLC Advocates Applaud CFPB Bulletin To Prevent Unlawful Medical Debt Collection and Credit Reporting

January 13, 2022

Important Wins, but Unmet Needs, in New Stimulus Package

December 22, 2020

From the NCLC Digital Library

Collection Actions

NCLC’s treatise detailing consumer defenses to debt buyer and creditor collection lawsuits on credit card, medical, criminal justice, and other consumer debts.

Read Chapter One