US Medical Term · financial
Credit Bureau
Agencia de Crédito
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Credit Bureau |
| Spanish (Español) | Agencia de Crédito |
| Chinese (中文) | 信用报告机构 |
| Korean (한국어) | 신용조사기관 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Cục tín dụng |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Credit Bureau |
| Portuguese (Português) | Agência de Crédito |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | สำนักงานเครดิต |
| Japanese (日本語) | 信用調査機関 |
What it means
A credit bureau—also called a credit reporting agency—is a company that collects, maintains, and sells financial information about individuals. The three major national credit bureaus in the United States are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. They compile data from lenders, collection agencies, and public records to create credit reports that lenders use to decide whether to extend credit and at what interest rate. Unpaid medical bills sent to collections have historically appeared on credit reports and lowered credit scores, though federal and state rules have increasingly restricted this practice. You are entitled to a free credit report from each bureau every 12 months at AnnualCreditReport.com, and you have the right to dispute inaccurate medical debt entries. The CFPB oversees credit bureaus and handles consumer complaints.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion are the three major credit bureaus.
Equifax, Experian y TransUnion son las tres principales agencias de crédito.
A medical debt sent to collections may show up on your credit bureau report.
Una deuda médica enviada a cobros puede aparecer en su informe de la agencia de crédito.
I disputed the incorrect medical debt directly with the credit bureau.
Disputé la deuda médica incorrecta directamente con la agencia de crédito.
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026