Medical bill payment plans

Many hospitals let you pay a bill monthly at 0% through a partner. Start with the billing office before you reach for a credit card or a loan.

Compare options Before you sign up

How a 0% hospital plan works

  1. Hospital bill$1,800You enroll from the bill or patient portal
  2. Every month for a year$15012 payments, no interest
  3. Total$1,800No more than the bill itself

Illustration of a 0% plan such as PayZen or CarePayment. The plan length and payment depend on your hospital.

Is it right for you?

Good for

  • A large hospital bill you cannot pay in one go
  • 0% plans from your hospital, with no credit check at many
  • Keeping a medical bill out of collections

Watch out for

  • Medical credit cards can charge deferred interest or 20%+ APR
  • Missing payments on a hospital plan can send the bill to collections
  • Do not finance a bill before you have checked it for errors

Compare medical payment plans

PayZen, CarePayment and Curae come through your hospital, and Paytient through your employer or health plan. CareCredit you can apply for yourself.

Listed A to Z, never by who pays us. We checked each company on its own website on Nov 13, 2026. Terms change and depend on you and your state, so confirm before you sign up.

  • CareCredit

    Dental · Vet · Medical · Hearing

    Cost
    Deferred interest for 6–24 months, or 14.90%–17.90% APR for 24–60 months
    Credit check
    Prequalify with no score impact; credit approval to open
    Where you can use it
    285,000+ dentists, doctors, vets and some stores

    A health and wellness credit card you can use again and again for care that costs $200 or more.

    "No interest if paid in full" is deferred interest: miss the payoff date and you pay interest back to the purchase date.

    How to get it: Apply online, by phone or at the provider. It works wherever CareCredit is accepted.

  • CarePayment

    Hospital

    Cost
    0% APR
    Credit check
    No effect on your credit score
    Where you can use it
    2,000+ hospitals and clinics that offer it

    A 0% line of credit for medical bills from hospitals and health systems that partner with CarePayment.

    You can only use it for bills from a participating provider.

    How to get it: Your hospital or clinic offers it, often on your bill.

  • Curae

    Hospital

    Cost
    0%–26.99% APR (in its posted card agreement)
    Credit check
    Apply with no effect on your score
    Where you can use it
    Approved hospitals and providers, such as Banner Health

    A revolving line of credit from $2,000 to $10,000 for care at approved providers.

    It's a credit card line: a late fee of up to $41 applies, and some offers use deferred interest.

    How to get it: Apply when your provider offers Curae.

  • Paytient

    Medical · Pharmacy

    Cost
    0% interest, no fees
    Credit check
    No credit check
    Where you can use it
    Only through an employer, insurer or health system

    A health payment card for doctor, dental, vision, pharmacy and mental health costs, repaid with no interest.

    You can't sign up on your own. Ask HR whether your benefits include it.

    How to get it: Through your employer, insurer or health system.

  • PayZen

    Hospital

    Cost
    0% interest, no fees, no late charges
    Credit check
    Not stated
    Where you can use it
    Partner hospitals and health systems

    Monthly plans for hospital bills, and a Care Card that splits medical bills into 0% payments.

    You can only use it if your hospital offers PayZen.

    How to get it: Your hospital offers it through your bill or patient portal.

Before you sign up

  • Ask for an itemized bill

    Check every line against your insurer's explanation of benefits. Billing errors are common.

  • Ask about financial assistance

    Nonprofit hospitals must have a financial assistance policy, and you may qualify for a discount or free care.

  • Ask for the 0% plan

    Ask the billing office which payment plans it offers before you use a credit card or a loan.

Questions people ask

Can I set up a payment plan for a hospital bill?

Usually, yes. Most hospitals offer monthly plans, many at 0% through partners such as PayZen or CarePayment. Call the billing office or look in your patient portal.

Do medical payment plans affect my credit?

CarePayment says its plans do not affect your credit score, and PayZen has no fees or late charges. A medical credit card such as CareCredit or Curae is a credit account and can show on your report.

Can I pay a medical bill with my HSA or FSA?

Yes. Doctor and hospital bills are qualified medical expenses, so you can pay them straight from your HSA or FSA. Services such as Truemed are for health products like fitness gear, not for medical bills.

Should I use a credit card for a medical bill?

Usually only as a last resort. A 0% hospital plan costs nothing extra, while a credit card can charge 20% APR or more.

More ways to split bills

All bill-splitting apps

Sources

Each company's own pages, checked Nov 13, 2026.

Meedsy is not a lender and does not make credit decisions. Some links may be affiliate links, and we may earn a commission if you sign up through them. That never changes how we list options. How we make money