Hauge Associates on Your Credit Report: What to Know

If Hauge Associates has appeared on your credit report or is calling you, the debt almost certainly traces to a medical provider in South Dakota or the surrounding region. Hauge Associates is one of four divisions under The Hauge Group, a Sioux Falls company that has operated since 1968 and runs a dedicated medical collections arm called Med-Plan Service.

One service that Med-Plan advertises to its healthcare clients is charity care identification, which means the company claims to identify patients who qualify for financial assistance. If you were never offered charity care before your account went to collections, that’s worth raising directly with the original provider.

This guide covers who Hauge is, what their complaint patterns look like, and how to respond.

Who Is Hauge Associates?

Hauge Associates, Inc. is the third-party collections division of The Hauge Group, a Sioux Falls, South Dakota company founded in 1968 and incorporated in 1983. The Hauge Group is BBB-accredited since 2007 and operates four divisions: Hauge Associates for retail collections, Med-Plan Service Ltd. (MPS) for dedicated medical collections, a proprietary Bridge System, and SYNCH Payment Solutions for payment processing.

The Hauge Group also acquires debt portfolios outright, meaning some accounts are owned by Hauge while others are collected on behalf of original creditors. Hauge has accumulated 96 CFPB complaints overall, with 17 in the past 12 months, and has a 100% timely response rate to CFPB complaints, which is above the industry norm.

Why Hauge Associates Is on Your Credit Report

Hauge’s client base is concentrated in healthcare and retail, primarily in South Dakota and surrounding states. Common account types include:

• Healthcare providers: Hospitals, clinics, emergency services, and physician groups served through the Med-Plan Service division.
• Retail and commercial accounts: Consumer and business debts handled through Hauge Associates directly.
• Debt portfolio purchases: Accounts Hauge has purchased outright from original creditors.

If you have no connection to South Dakota or the surrounding upper Midwest, an account from Hauge is worth investigating immediately for identity errors or misdirected contact.

The Charity Care Question

Med-Plan Service specifically advertises “charity care identification” as a service it provides to healthcare clients. This means MPS claims to screen accounts for patients who may qualify for financial assistance programs before or during the collection process.

If your Hauge account traces to a hospital or health system in South Dakota and you were never informed of charity care options, contact the original provider’s billing department directly. Many South Dakota healthcare systems offer charity care programs that can reduce or eliminate balances for qualifying patients, independent of what Hauge can negotiate.

The Judgment and New Accounts Pattern

A documented 2025 BBB complaint describes a consumer dealing with Hauge on multiple accounts. Hauge had already obtained a court judgment on one account. When additional accounts were placed with Hauge by other clients, the consumer was told the existing judgment would need to be satisfied before Hauge would address the newer accounts.

If Hauge has obtained a judgment against you and is now placing new accounts in collection simultaneously, the order of resolution matters. Confirm in writing how each account is being handled and what satisfaction of the judgment means for reporting to the credit bureaus.

What Hauge Cannot Do Under Federal Law

The FDCPA applies to Hauge Associates. Under federal law, they cannot:

• Threaten arrest or jail: Consumer debt is not a criminal matter.
• Call at odd hours: Contact is only allowed between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in your time zone.
• Contact you at work after you say stop: Written cease-contact requests must be honored.
• Collect on debts not owed: The most common CFPB complaint category for Hauge.
• Disconnect calls when consumers request documentation: Documented in a BBB response.
• Use harassing language: Profanity and repeated calls meant to annoy violate the law.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you the right to dispute inaccurate information. File complaints at consumerfinance.gov. South Dakota residents can also contact the South Dakota Division of Banking.

Medical Debt Reporting Rules Apply

Because Hauge’s primary business is medical collections through Med-Plan Service, specific credit reporting protections apply. All three major credit bureaus voluntarily agreed to these changes in 2022 and 2023:

• Medical debts under $500 are not reported on credit reports at all.
• Paid medical collections are removed from credit reports entirely.
• Unpaid medical debt has a one-year waiting period before it can be reported.

If your Hauge account falls into any of these categories and is still showing on your credit report, dispute it with each credit bureau immediately.

Verify the Debt Before Paying Anything

Do not pay or admit the debt is yours until you have verified it. Send a written debt validation request by certified mail within 30 days of first contact. Ask for the original creditor, the account number, the full balance breakdown, and confirmation of whether Hauge owns the debt or is collecting on behalf of a client.

For medical debts, also request an itemized bill, confirmation that your insurance was properly billed, and documentation of any charity care screening that was done.

How to Check Your Credit Report for Hauge Errors

Pull your credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Is the balance correct? Is the account listed under the right original creditor or healthcare provider? Does the same debt appear under both The Hauge Group and Hauge Associates as separate entries?

Any inaccuracy is grounds for a dispute with each credit bureau.

How Long Can Hauge Legally Pursue the Debt

South Dakota has a 6-year statute of limitations on written contracts and open accounts. If you no longer live in South Dakota, the relevant state is typically where you currently reside. Making a payment or acknowledging the debt in writing can reset the clock.

Your Options for Resolving a Hauge Account

Once you have verified the debt, consider these paths:

• Go to the original medical provider: Contact their billing department about charity care or financial assistance before negotiating with Hauge.
• Pay in full: Paid medical collections are removed from credit reports under current bureau policies.
• Negotiate a settlement: Get any agreement in writing before paying. If a judgment exists, confirm in writing what settlement means for any existing court order.
• Dispute if inaccurate: If the debt was already paid, covered by insurance, or falls under medical debt reporting rules, dispute with the credit bureaus.

If Hauge Files a Lawsuit

Hauge does obtain judgments and will pursue them. If you receive a summons, do not ignore it. Respond within South Dakota’s deadline. Consult a consumer protection attorney, especially if the judgment involves amounts or accounts you dispute.

How to Contact Hauge Associates

Handle all communication in writing whenever possible:

• Address: Hauge Associates, Inc., 2320 West 49th St, Sioux Falls, SD 57105
• Mailing address: PO Box 88610, Sioux Falls, SD 57105
• Phone: (800) 284-3131

Bottom Line

Hauge Associates is the collections arm of a 55-year-old South Dakota company with a medical-focused subsidiary that specifically advertises charity care screening. If a hospital or clinic referred your account to Hauge without first offering you financial assistance options, contact the original provider before paying anything.

Verify the debt, check medical debt reporting rules, and address any existing judgments in writing before resolving newer accounts.