 TITLE: How Can I Get Out of Medical Debt? CONTENT: Will Having Medical Bills on My Credit Report Affect My Score?\n--------------------------------------------------------------\nMedical bills don't affect your credit score unless they go to collections. The time frame for this can vary. Some medical providers wait 90 days or more past the billing due date to send it to a debt collector; some do it more quickly.\nEither way, all three credit reporting agencies (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax) won't report medical debt in collections until it's more than 180 days past due. This should give you time to dispute billing, negotiate your balance and work out a payment plan without damaging your credit.\nUnpaid medical debt that does end up on your credit report remains there for seven years. On the upside, if your insurance company ends up paying a bill that's in collections, the collection can be removed from your credit report. END