The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) may no longer remove medical debt from credit scores, a federal judge has ruled. This is yet another example of political cycles dictating economic policy, as the Trump-era judge dismissed the Biden-appointed mandate. Today, regulators expand; tomorrow, courts shrink. Millions of Americans will be affected by this ruling.
The Biden Administration was not attempting to wipe out medical debt; rather, the ruling would have changed how medical debt impacted credit scores. U.S. District Judge Sean Jordan, a Trump appointee, argued that the Fair Credit Reporting Act does not permit the CFPB to decide what debt it will and will not report.
Consumer advocates see this as punishment for those who fall ill to no fault of their own. The credit industry believes that payment is due when it is due. The medical industry would likely demand upfront payments, which has become a more common practice. None of this addresses the root cause—healthcare costs are obscene in the United States. Yet, lobbyists continue to line the pockets of politicians, and meaningful change never occurs despite politicians on both sides acknowledging the growing problem.
Currently, one in 12 adults living in the United States has medical debt exceeding $250. Over 14 million Americans, 6% of all adults, owe $1,000, while 3 million people, or 1% of the adult population, have medical debt exceeding $10,000. Medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcies in America. As of late 2024, Americans were collectively behind on $220 billion worth of medical debt. Around 66.5% of all bankruptcy filings are a direct result of medical bills, affecting over 550,000 Americans annually.
The stop‑start volatility undermines both consumer confidence and market stability. The law is subject to change with each regime change, and the people are unprepared for the rug pull that happens with each new administration. The root of this issue has been entirely ignored and will contribute to the consumer debt crisis facing the nation, which spills into the overall economic growth of the nation.