Federal laws provide a minimum baseline, but state medical debt laws often set a much higher ceiling for patient protections. A growing number of states, led by New York and Colorado, have moved to completely ban wage garnishment for medical debt. Over 15 states now restrict or outright ban medical debt from appearing on credit … Read more
There is no law that will send you to jail for not paying a medical debt, but you are still civilly obligated to pay valid debts you incurred. Ignoring the debt does not make it disappear; it typically leads to credit reporting damage and potential escalation to a civil lawsuit. Collectors have a limited window … Read more
Not all medical debt on your credit report actually belongs there. Recent policy changes protect millions of accounts from ever being reported. If the original balance was under $500, or if the account has been in collections for less than a full year, it should not be on your credit profile. Do not assume a … Read more