The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's move could lead to providers seeking high payments before treatment, an economist warns. A health scholar says it could protect patients' financial futures.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a new rule Tuesday that will hide nearly $50 billion in medical bills from credit reports, a move that could ultimately make life harder for everyday Americans who are already struggling to get by.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is removing medical debt from credit reports. NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with Benedic Ippolito, an economist at the American Enterprise Institute, about the move.