In recent news, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has finalized a rule barring lenders from including unpaid medical debt in consumer credit decisions. This move is poised to impact around 15 million Americans, eliminating approximately $49 billion in medical debt from credit reports and boosting scores by an average of 20 points (AP News).
While consumer advocates applaud the change, critics—including credit bureaus and financial institutions—are challenging the rule’s legality and its effect on accurate credit assessments (Reuters). The reality is, healthcare providers have fewer remedies for non-payment. Unlike other industries, there’s no product to repossess—once care is delivered, the burden of collection begins.
In this shifting regulatory landscape, the importance of timely, strategic, and ethical debt collection cannot be overstated. When follow-up is minimal, delayed, or purely transactional, patient response rates drop and recovery dwindles. Medical debt—already at risk of being deprioritized by consumers—is more likely to become permanent bad debt.
That’s why many healthcare organizations are reassessing who they trust with their collections. With policy changes limiting traditional tools like credit reporting, working with an experienced partner like FirstPoint Collections offers a measurable advantage. Our compassionate, customized approach focuses on early engagement, data-driven strategy, and respectful recovery—helping providers stay financially strong without sacrificing patient relationships.
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