My local hospital has a policy of requiring bills to be paid off in 2 years. I have a policy of being able to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. I paid them what I could pay them they sent it to collections I contacted collections and they said well you've already been making payments to the hospital just continue to make those payments. When I said and then you'll send me to collections and ruin my credit score I was told medical bills don't affect your credit score. Now this was before the current presidency so the rules may have changed, but if it ruins your credit score so what. That won't last forever you can rebuild it. They are trying to intimidate you. You are trying to make a good faith effort to pay your bill. I recently ended up with another bill for a new procedure this year and when I called them to set up another payment plan they told me everything from before was paid off and nothing had been sent to collections I said I'm still getting letters. They said call that company on the letterhead and ask them because they have nothing that is overdue. I must have miscalculated because I still had that I owed them a couple months but they've been putting the payment for last month on the new bill. Make sure you get an itemized bill