Do Medical Collections Affect Your Credit Score?

I keep hearing comments that medical information placed on your credit report should not count against your credit score (collections or judgement). Is this true? --Carol

Hi Carol-

Should not and does not might have two different answers.

All collections and judgments have an effect on your credit score – even those that are medical-related. The scoring system can't differentiate between types of collection account. Right now, there isn't any theory on the credit risk of people with medical-related accounts on their credit report.

Some people argue that medical-related collections and judgments shouldn't be included, but that argument hasn't been won yet.

LaToya