Medical bills don't go away no matter how many calls you ignore. Once it is passed along to a collection agency, it takes seven years for medical debt to be removed from your credit report. The bill itself, though, is never actually gone, and you will still owe that much to the hospital or clinic you went to. It's always better to speak with the billing department where you received care and to be upfront with them to figure out a payment plan that will work for both parties.