r/HospitalBills • u/Low-Knowledge4810 • 14d ago

Hospital-Non Emergency Medical Debt in CA

Long story short, I had a medical consultation in October 2024 and didn't pay the bill, which amounted to about $650. I recently started getting communications from a debt collector, who now wants to charge me closer to to $700, as they are charging the original bill value plus with interest. Given this, my questions are

  • When would this begin to affect my credit score? For context I live in and had this consultation in California. I received first communication in July from the debt collector. While the original bill was one $650 bill, I noticed that the debt collector sent one mail with 3 separate bill claims, each with a unique case number and each less that $500 but collectively added to the original bill plus more due to interest. Would these even affect my credit score since they are each less than $500 then?
  • What is the correct next step for me to take? Do I respond directly to the mail I have received to dispute the debt, or do I compose my own letter and send to the debt collector's address? If the value of the bills won't affect by credit score, do I bother responding then?

I appreciate any help in this situation, thank you!

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u/Radiant-Ad-9753 14d ago

That $500 rule was cancelled

https://www.npr.org/2025/07/15/nx-s1-5468438/medical-debt-credit-reports-ruling

You can work on a payment plan, or it will eventually hit your credit.

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u/Low-Knowledge4810 14d ago

That was the federal ruling to end all medical debt reporting. What I am referring to is the agreement with credit report agencies to not report medical debt under $500 https://dfpi.ca.gov/news/insights/medical-debt-collection-know-your-rights, I wasn't sure what the exact nuances with my bill are being split up into multiple ones each under $500

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u/YogurtclosetOpen3567 14d ago

Doesn’t CA have a law that bans medical debt credit reporting?

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u/Low-Knowledge4810 14d ago

That's what I have sort of read as well but I wasn't clear on if that really passed or not, or what bills that exactly covers. I remember reading something that only medical bills after July 1st of this year will be omitted from credit reporting but I was hoping for clarity from someone familiar with medical debt in California if my situation would be covered by this as well