Every time you buy a car or sign up for a service, it's standard practice for the company to run a credit check on you. You might not expect a hospital or doctor's office to essentially do the same thing, but that's exactly what some might soon have the ability to do, and it's already raising concerns about privacy.

Like your credit score, you could soon have a medical credit score. The creators of the program have said publicly that it would not interfere with anyone's care, but critics seem reluctant to believe that.

"Outside of the concern about privacy, the question is: why should people have their credit history checked when they need medical care?" said health care advocate Ed Grystar. "It's absurd."

According to published reports, a Massachusetts-based firm is developing a system some are calling "Med-fico." It reportedly allows a health care provider to see if you've had trouble paying previous medical bills, much the same way a car dealer can check your credit history.

By law, they cannot find out what you were treated for.

Critics fear the information would allow patients, particular the uninsured, to be denied care.

The company has said the test would be used only after patients are treated to determine whether unpaid bills are worth pursuing.

"I think it has to be implemented carefully so it doesn't have some unanticipated consequences," said health care lawyer Bill Maruca.

Maruca said no health care provider could refuse to give emergency care.

"They cannot discriminate on prohibited bases such as gender, disability, age and so forth, but other than that, they are permitted to select their own patients," he said.

Maruca said he believes the system, which might not be ready until year's end, would likely be used to screen those requesting things like elective cosmetic surgery, which is usually not covered by insurance.

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