A recent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) report examining medical billing and collection challenges found a rising volume of complaints being submitted to the agency.
“Many Americans feel forced to pay medical bills that they have already paid or never owed to begin with,” CFPB Director Rohit Chopra said. “The credit reporting system should not be used as a weapon to coerce patients into paying medical bills they do not owe.”
CFPB officials said the agency seeks to support patients and families experiencing the consequences of medical billing and collections. Consumers report they have received medical bills that are inaccurate or not owed, describing difficulty identifying, verifying, or eliminating the bills.
Per the report, consumers indicated they do not recognize or owe alleged medical bills but continue to be contacted by debt collectors; maintain unpaid medical bills are being unlawfully placed on their credit reports; have experienced their credit reports being used as weapons to force payments; and report collection notices contained large amounts of sensitive medical information.
The CFPB said it would continue to engage with the healthcare industry to learn more about medical billing practices, charity care patient access, and consumer and patient-centric approaches to billing and collections; partner with government agencies as a means of ensuring medical billing and collections are not stopping consumer access to jobs, housing, and credit; and publish information designed to help patients and families navigate medical billing systems.