In fact, the agency determined that people with “paid medical collections were less likely to be delinquent than other consumers with the same credit score.” The CFPB found that unlike credit card debt, medical bills that have gone to collections aren’t an accurate predictor of someone’s likelihood to pay bills. However, research from the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau suggests medical debts should be treated differently than other debts. There’s no strict disqualifier rather, a squadron commander evaluates each case and assesses it in the “best interest of the Air Force,” Cuttita said.Įmployers in other sectors also commonly use credit checks to evaluate candidates. Red flags on a credit report include late payments, long-term debts, or total debt - including student loans, mortgages, and medical debt - that exceeds 40% of the person’s income. Depending on the particulars of the case, she confirmed, an individual can be disqualified from enlisting because of debt.
“Credit checks aid in determining recruit financial responsibility while aiming to safeguard national security,” said Christine Cuttita, an Air Force Recruiting Service spokesperson. What’s Broken: Several branches of the military check financial histories when evaluating recruits. In response to his text about the debts, she wrote, “I’m guessing is doctor bills?” A car wreck led to another visit.īy 2022, when the Air Force recruiter looked into her finances, Bradford owed roughly $5,000 spread across a half-dozen bills. Another time, she was dehydrated and had to be brought to the hospital by ambulance. One time, she had a rash along her back that she feared was an allergic reaction. Over the years, when she landed in the emergency room without insurance, bills racked up quickly. Most of the jobs didn’t offer benefits, and since North Carolina had not expanded Medicaid, Bradford did not qualify for the public insurance. The pay covered rent, utilities, and food, but she had little left over. Later, she took overnight shifts at a hospital. She worked a variety of jobs to stay afloat - as a cashier, then as a cook and a staff member at a bowling alley for a bit. She took the qualifying exam in 2020 but delayed her enlistment so she could stay close to home and support her younger sister, who was in high school at the time. “I didn’t know your medical debt could stop you from joining.”īradford had dreamed of enlisting in the Air Force for years. “I was very upset and surprised,” Bradford said. The recruiter said she needed to set up payment plans to address the debts before she could enlist. Share Your Storyīradford had unpaid bills - mostly from hospitals and ambulance companies - that had gone to collections.
Have you been forced into debt because of a medical or dental bill? Have you had to make any changes in your life because of such debt? Have you been pursued by debt collectors for a medical bill? We want to hear about it.
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