How likely are you to get sued for medical bills?

Asked by: Miss Barbara Langosh Jr.  |  Last update: May 30, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (33 votes)

A hospital or other health care provider is less likely to sue you to collect on an overdue bill than are most other creditors, such as credit card companies. This is particularly the case for relatively small medical bills.

Do you have to go to court for unpaid medical bills?

Unpaid medical bills can lead to severe legal consequences, including actions from healthcare providers or debt collectors. Ignoring these actions may result in court orders and, in extreme cases, jail time due to contempt of court. Addressing unpaid medical bills promptly is essential to avoid such outcomes.

How often do hospitals sue for unpaid bills?

A smaller number (about 25%) sell patients' debts to debt collectors and about 20% deny nonemergency care to people with outstanding debt. More than two-thirds of hospitals in the sample sue patients or take other legal action against them.

Can a hospital turn you away for unpaid bills?

Even if you owe a hospital for past-due bills, that hospital cannot turn you away from its emergency room. This is your right under a federal law called the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA).

What is the law on unpaid medical bills in Washington state?

(1) No health care provider or health care facility may sell or assign medical debt to any person licensed under chapter 19.16 RCW until at least one hundred twenty days after the initial billing statement for that medical debt has been transmitted to the patient or other responsible party.

Nurse Sued 5 Times by Local Hospital for Medical Debt?

32 related questions found

Should I worry about unpaid medical bills?

Medical debt can also lead people to avoid medical care, develop physical and mental health problems, and face adverse financial consequences like lawsuits, wage and bank account garnishment, home liens, and bankruptcy.

What is the surprise medical billing law in Washington state?

Your Rights and Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills. Beginning January 1, 2020, Washington State law protects you from surprise, or balance, billing. Under your health plan, you're responsible for certain cost-sharing amounts. This includes copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.

What happens if you ignore hospital bills?

If you do nothing and don't pay, you could be facing late fees and interest, debt collection, lawsuits, garnishments, and lower credit scores.

What to do when a hospital sues you?

What should I do if I'm being sued for medical debt? 1. Respond as soon as possible by filing an “Answer” form at the courthouse within: • 20 days, if the summons and complaint was received in person by you or someone else, OR • 30 days if the summons and complaint was mailed to your home.

What happens if you don't pay medical bills under $500?

Waiting to pay can be beneficial

That means if the card becomes delinquent, even debts under $500 can appear on your credit report and hurt your score. Despite the potential consequences of ignoring a medical debt, there are some advantages to letting the bill go unpaid.

Is medical debt being forgiven?

Thanks to the American Rescue Plan (ARP), states, counties, and cities are canceling an estimated $7 billion in medical debt for up to nearly 3 million Americans, including: Arizona is using ARP funds to relieve an estimated up to $2 billion in medical debt for up to 1 million Arizonans.

What is the lowest payment you can make on a medical bill?

But there is no law for a minimum monthly payment on medical bills. If that were true, hardly anyone would need to file bankruptcy for medical debts. The truth is that the medical provider can sue or turn you over to collections if they are not satisfied with the amount that you are sending in.

What happens after 7 years of not paying debt?

In general, most debt will fall off your credit report after seven years, but some types of debt can stay for up to 10 years or even indefinitely. Certain types of debt or derogatory marks, such as tax liens and paid medical debt collections, will not typically show up on your credit report.

How can I get out of unpaid medical bills?

7 Tips for Paying Off Medical Debt and Avoiding Collections
  1. Review your bills. ...
  2. Negotiate your medical costs. ...
  3. See if you qualify for an income-driven hardship plan. ...
  4. Look for financial assistance or charity care programs. ...
  5. Consider a payment plan. ...
  6. Use medical credit cards. ...
  7. Consider a medical bill advocate.

How many people go into debt from medical bills?

Approximately 14 million people (6% of adults) in the U.S. owe over $1,000 in medical debt and about 3 million people (1% of adults) owe medical debt of more than $10,000.”

Can a hospital take your house for unpaid medical bills?

The short answer is yes, it is possible to lose your home over unpaid medical bills though the doctor or hospital would have to be willing to go to a lot of effort to make that happen. Medical debt is classified as unsecured debt. This means that your debt isn't tied to any collateral.

Do hospitals write off unpaid medical bills?

There is no one, clear cut answer to the question of whether hospitals write off unpaid medical bills. Some hospitals do this a lot, some do not do it at all, and there is a wide range of hospitals in between. Many factors go into how and if, a hospital writes off an individual's bill.

How do you respond to a debt collection lawsuit?

It's important to respond to (or answer) the lawsuit. You do this by filing official paperwork with the court. Be sure to address every point in the complaint, raise any defenses you have, and file the paperwork within the time frame provided.

Is it expensive to sue a hospital?

Ultimately, when you begin to tally up all the costs of filing a medical malpractice lawsuit, you would be looking at thousands in expenses. You should ask yourself if you can afford these fees or if you would prefer that a legal team handle them.

Do unpaid medical bills ever go away?

Do Unpaid Medical Bills Ever Go Away? After enough time has passed, unpaid medical debts may become uncollectible under your state's statute of limitations for debt. This means you can no longer be sued for those medical bills. That does not, however, erase the debt or the associated credit reporting.

What is a hardship letter for medical bills?

A hardship letter is a formal letter that you write to your healthcare provider or insurance company to request assistance or a payment plan. The letter should explain your situation, provide evidence of your financial hardship, and explain why you are unable to pay your medical bills.

Can insurance refuse to pay hospital bills?

Reasons your insurance may not approve a request or deny payment: Services are deemed not medically necessary. Services are no longer appropriate in a specific health care setting or level of care. You are not eligible for the benefit requested under your health plan.

What happens if you don't pay medical bills in Washington state?

Your bills might be turned over to a collection agency or you might be sued. If you cannot afford your medical debt, here are some options that can help.

How common are surprise medical bills?

Dr. Bernstein is correct that surprise medical bills are a problem. A 2019 study found that for one large insurer, 39% of visits to the emergency department (ED), and 37% of admissions at in-network hospitals resulted in an out-of-network bill [21].

How long do I have to pay a medical bill?

30 days once it's sent to the collectors it's no longer in the hospital's hands you have to just pay the bill or they'll just put it on your credit 30 days is Max in just about every state that I know of if you want to avoid that timeline set up a good faith payment they'll accept a small amount and once they do you ...