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The Trump administration is moving to invalidate state laws that protect consumers’ credit reports from medical debt reporting, a major shift that could expose millions of Americans to renewed credit risks tied to healthcare costs.
In a draft interpretive rule under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) argues that federal law should preempt state regulations governing how debts are reported to major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.
The proposal, which reverses Biden-era guidance, effectively blocks states from enforcing their own consumer protections on credit reporting. More than a dozen states, including New York and Delaware, currently ban or restrict the reporting of medical debt.
Biden-era consumer protections rolled back
Under previous Democratic administrations, states were allowed to establish stronger safeguards against medical debt reporting. Those laws helped shield millions of consumers from the credit consequences of unpaid medical bills — often caused by insurance delays or coverage disputes.
Medical debt remains one of the most common and most disputed entries on consumer credit files. Even when insurance eventually covers a procedure, billing errors or delays can leave temporary balances that harm credit scores.
The three national credit bureaus announced in 2023 they would stop reporting medical debts under $500, a change that eliminated about 70% of all medical debt entries on consumers’ credit reports. However, states like New York and Delaware went further, banning all medical debt reporting outright.
CFPB cites federal uniformity
In its proposed rule, the CFPB — which is currently operating with limited staffing and primarily focused on repealing prior Democratic rules — said Congress intended the FCRA to “create national standards for the credit reporting system.”
The agency concluded that state efforts to regulate medical debt reporting “run afoul” of that federal framework.
Consumer advocates warn that the move could erase critical protections for patients, especially in states where healthcare costs and debt burdens are already high.
Americans carry $220 billion in medical debt
The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that Americans collectively owe about $220 billion in medical debt. In several Republican-led states — including South Dakota, Mississippi, West Virginia, and Georgia — roughly one in six adults has outstanding medical debt.
Having medical debt in collections can sharply limit access to mortgages, credit cards, and auto loans, even for consumers who eventually settle their bills.
A CFPB spokesperson declined to comment on the pending rulemaking.
