A good plan is the key to success for many things in life, including your personal finances. But, no matter how excellent the plan, some things simply defy planning — like medical emergencies.
And, while having a healthy emergency savings can be enough to buffer a few medical bills, a single trip to the emergency room can easily wipe out even the most robust savings account.
While many medical offices offer financing through medical credit card accounts, a regular, open-loop credit card may provide an even better deal for those who can qualify. Let’s take a look at some of our top picks for the best medical credit cards out there today. We’ll dive into cards specifically for medical expenses and take a look at other cards that, while not designed specifically for medical bills, may be worth considering.
0% APR | Rewards | Balance Transfers | Medical Specific
Although dedicated medical credit cards can be useful for short- and long-term financing, the deferred interest they typically use can end up being expensive if you have even a portion of your balance left over.
A better option, for those who can qualify, may be an open-loop card with a 0% intro-APR offer. The best deals provide at least 15 months of 0% financing on new purchases, with no deferred interest. If you have a balance at the end of the promotional period, interest will start accruing on that portion only.
0% INTRO APR RATING
★★★★★
4.8
- $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
- Choose 3% cash back on gas and EV charging station, online shopping/cable/internet/phone plan/streaming, dining, travel, drug store/pharmacy or home improvement/furnishing purchases.
- If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means you could earn 3.75%-5.25% cash back on purchases in your choice category.
- No annual fee and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
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0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
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0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%)
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18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
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$0
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Excellent/Good
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Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
0% INTRO APR RATING
★★★★★
4.8
- $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
- If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means you could earn 1.87%-2.62% cash back on every purchase with Preferred Rewards.
- No annual fee.
- No limit to the amount of cash back you can earn and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
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0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
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0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%)
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18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
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$0
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Excellent/Good
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Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
0% INTRO APR RATING
★★★★★
4.8
- Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
- Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
- Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
- If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
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0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
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0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%)
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18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
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$0
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Excellent/Good
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Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
Depending on your credit and needs, you may be able to find a good financing deal on a rewards credit card. This could help you earn cash back, points, or miles on your medical bills, which can help take a little of the edge off high-priced procedures, especially when paired with an intro-APR deal.
Just remember not to charge more than you can pay off in a reasonable amount of time. While any balance remaining after your promotional period expires won’t be subject to deferred interest, it will start accruing interest at the regular purchase rate, which will likely be at least 15% or more.
While there are many situations in which getting a good financing deal on your medical bills is the main concern, patients who can pay off their medical bills right away will have other priorities. Namely, scoring the best rewards on their necessary medical expenses.
Since we couldn’t find any credit cards that have a dedicated bonus category for medical purchases, you may want to simply use your favorite rewards card. Or, make the most of a big bill by using it to get closer to the spending requirement for a new card’s signup bonus.
CASH BACK RATING
★★★★★
4.9
- $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
- Choose 3% cash back on gas and EV charging station, online shopping/cable/internet/phone plan/streaming, dining, travel, drug store/pharmacy or home improvement/furnishing purchases.
- If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means you could earn 3.75%-5.25% cash back on purchases in your choice category.
- No annual fee and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
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0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
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0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%)
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18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
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$0
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Excellent/Good
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Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
CASH BACK RATING
★★★★★
4.9
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
- Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% to 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- No annual fee.
- Terms and conditions apply.
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0% Intro APR for 15 months
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0% Intro APR for 15 months
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17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
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$0
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Excellent/Good
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CASH BACK RATING
★★★★★
4.8
- INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
- Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
- After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
- No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
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0% Intro APR on Purchases 15 months
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0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers 15 months
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20.49% - 29.24% Variable
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$0
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Good/Excellent
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Of course, the key to turning a signup bonus into big savings is to ensure you don’t wind up paying interest fees on your purchases — especially since cards with big bonuses tend to forgo intro-APR offers.
This means interest charges begin on any purchases you carry past your due date after just one billing cycle. So, make sure you actually have the funds on hand to repay your purchases before you start charging your way to a signup bonus spending requirement.
While intro-APR offers and emergency savings accounts can do a lot to prevent a future problem from turning into debt, what about your past medical expenses? If you have current credit card debt that’s sitting around accruing interest at a high rate, you may want to consider a balance transfer.
By transferring a balance from a card with a high rate to one with a lower rate, you can save on interest fees. And, if you have at least good credit, you may qualify for a credit card that offers an intro-APR deal on balance transfers that can drop your interest rate to 0%.
0% BALANCE TRANSFER RATING
★★★★★
4.8
- 0% Intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers from date of first transfer and 0% Intro APR for 12 months on purchases from date of account opening. After that the variable APR will be 18.24% - 28.99%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.
- There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Get free access to your FICO® Score online.
- With Citi Entertainment®, get special access to purchase tickets to thousands of events, including concerts, sporting events, dining experiences and more.
- No Annual Fee - our low intro rates and all the benefits don’t come with a yearly charge.
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0% 12 months on Purchases
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0% 21 months on Balance Transfers
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18.24% - 28.99% (Variable)
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$0
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Excellent, Good
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Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.
0% BALANCE TRANSFER RATING
★★★★★
4.8
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
- Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
- Your account may not always be eligible for balance transfers. Balance transfer eligibility is determined at Discover’s discretion.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- No annual fee.
- Terms and conditions apply.
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0% Intro APR for 6 months
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0% Intro APR for 18 months
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17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
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$0
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Excellent/Good
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0% BALANCE TRANSFER RATING
★★★★★
4.8
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
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N/A
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0% Intro APR Period 18 months on Balance Transfers
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19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
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$0
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Excellent, Good, Fair
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Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.
The main downside to balance transfers is that most credit cards will charge a balance transfer fee. Transfer fees typically range from 3% to 5% of the total transferred amount and are charged by the card to which you are transferring your balance.
Keep in mind that you’ll only be able to transfer a balance up to the card’s credit limit, and that the balance transfer fee will be added to the balance, reducing the total amount you can transfer.
Dedicated medical credit cards are very similar to store credit cards in how they operate. Primarily, medical credit cards are closed-loop, meaning they can typically only be used for medical purchases with a single provider.
Additionally, the financing deals offered through medical cards, like those offered by most store cards, tend to operate with deferred interest. This means that you’ll need to pay off your full financed amount before the end of your financing period to avoid interest fees.
If any amount of your balance remains when your offer expires, you’ll be charged interest on the entire financed amount, not just the part that’s left. For those who can pay off their balance before the deadline, however, these cards may be worthwhile.
The CareCredit card provides short- and long-term financing for a variety of medical bills, from chiropractic to urgent care, and the application process can be done directly online. Zero-interest financing plans are available with terms of 6, 12, 18, or 24 months, depending on purchase (and creditworthiness).
- Special 0% financing of 6, 12, 18, or 24 months depending on your purchase
- No interest if paid within promotional period
- Longer-term plans available with low interest rates
If you need longer than 24 months to pay off your medical purchase, you may qualify for CareCredit longer-term financing for 24-, 36-, 48- or 60-month terms at a reduced interest rate. These plans require fixed monthly payments.
The AccessOne MedCard provides both 0% and low-rate financing, depending on the amount you need to finance and your personal credit profile. However, the site states that all credit types are welcome, and you won’t be turned down due to poor credit.
- Special 0% or low-interest financing, depending on your needs and credit
- No minimum credit score to qualify
- Does not report to credit bureaus
Long-term plans with 0% interest will have higher monthly payments. For a lower monthly payment, you can obtain a low-interest loan. There are also plans for partial financial assistance, high deductibles, and catastrophic balances.
Wells Fargo Health Advantage is an in-office medical credit card applied for with your provider. It’s offered by a range of medical services practices, including dental, hearing aid, eye surgery, and veterinary offices.
- Special financing plans with fixed monthly payments allow you to pay over time
- Plans have competitive APRs
- Revolving credit line
While the card promotes “competitive APRs,” the lack of 0% financing makes it less-than-ideal for large medical costs, as even low interest fees can add up quickly. If you can’t qualify for a 0% financing deal elsewhere, however, this could be a good option.
(The information related to Wells Fargo Health Advantage has been collected by CardRates.com and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.)
Although a good plan can make all the difference in a great many situations, some of life’s little surprises defy planning and prediction.
If you’re faced with unexpected medical bills, your credit card may be a useful tool for financing your medical expenses, particularly if you can qualify for a good intro-APR offer.
However, avoid making purchases with your credit cards that you can’t repay in a reasonable amount of time. Interest fees can add up quickly, turning a medical emergency into a financial one before you know it.
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