Yes, and it's gotten significantly easier in recent years. Several major changes to how medical debt is reported mean that a lot of medical collections that used to tank your credit score are no longer showing up at all.
What changed: Starting in 2023, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion removed all paid medical collections from credit reports. They also implemented a 12-month waiting period before any unpaid medical debt can appear on your report (previously it was 6 months). And they removed all medical collections under $500. In 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to ban all medical debt from credit reports entirely, though implementation has faced legal challenges and may be delayed.
What this means for you right now: If your medical debt is under $500, it shouldn't be on your credit report regardless of whether it's paid. If you paid a medical collection, it should have been removed. If it's still showing, dispute it with the credit bureau citing the 2023 policy change.
For medical debts still on your report:
Dispute any inaccuracies. Medical billing errors are extremely common (some studies suggest 30% to 80% of medical bills contain errors). If the amount is wrong, the dates are wrong, or the debt isn't yours, file a dispute with all three bureaus. Under the FCRA, they have 30 days to investigate.
Negotiate a "pay for delete" agreement. Contact the collection agency and offer to pay the debt (or a settled amount) in exchange for them removing the trade line from your credit report. Not all collectors agree to this, but many will, especially for smaller amounts. Get the agreement in writing before you pay.
Check for insurance processing errors. Sometimes medical debt goes to collections because insurance was billed incorrectly or the provider didn't bill insurance at all. Contact your insurance company and the provider's billing department. If the debt should have been covered, the collection should be withdrawn.
Important: Don't pay an old medical collection just to get it off your report without first checking whether it's within the statute of limitations in your state. Paying an old debt can restart the clock on the statute in some states, and if it's already been removed from your credit report due to the 7-year reporting limit, paying it might actually cause it to reappear temporarily.