I have a medical bill
My bill went to collections — what now?
Photo: Nicola Barts / Pexels
Before you pay, ask the collector in writing to verify the debt, then check the original bill against your EOB. You can still question errors, ask about financial assistance, and set up a plan.
What to do
- Within 30 days of the collector's first letter, ask in writing to verify the debt: the original provider, the date of service and the amount. Keep a copy.
- Get the itemized bill and your Explanation of Benefits (EOB), the insurer's statement of what it paid and what you owe, and check for errors as you would with a new bill.
- Ask the hospital whether you can still apply for financial assistance. Nonprofit hospitals must accept applications for at least 240 days after the first bill.
- Agree to nothing until you have seen the paperwork. Get any payment plan in writing, and note every call: the date, the name and what was said.
What to say
I'm disputing this debt and requesting written verification, including the original provider, the date of service, and an itemized statement. Please send it to me by mail.
Send it in writing within 30 days of the collector's first letter, when your rights are strongest, and keep a copy.
What to watch out for
This is a sensitive stepSmall details here can change the outcome, and some mistakes are hard to undo. We highly recommend a free 15-minute call with us before you decide.
Paying a collector for a bill you never checked. Once you have paid, an error is much harder to undo.
Better done together
We’re here to help
A collections letter is stressful, and the timing matters: the 30 days to ask for verification start with the collector's first letter.
If you'd like a calm second look, we can go through the letter, the original bill and your EOB with you, check whether financial assistance is still open, and help you decide what to send, and in what order, before you agree to anything.
Every situation is different, and these are sensitive moments, so we look at yours with care. We often see what others miss, and we never take commissions from insurance companies: the only thing we are working for is what is right for you.
Free · 15 minutes · No pressure
The rule behind it
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a federal law, gives you 30 days from a collector's first notice to dispute the debt, and the collector must pause collecting while it answers. You can also tell a collector in writing to stop contacting you, though the debt does not go away. Under IRS rule 501(r), nonprofit hospitals must wait at least 120 days after the first bill before steps such as credit reporting, selling the debt or suing. Since 2022 and 2023, the three national credit bureaus leave off paid medical debt, medical collections under $500, and unpaid medical debt less than a year old.
Sources
- CFPB — What information does a debt collector have to give me about the debt?
- CFPB — How do I get a debt collector to stop contacting me?
- IRS.gov — Billing and collections, Section 501(r)(6)
- CFPB — Medical debt already paid or under $500 should no longer be on your credit report
- Cornell LII — 26 CFR 1.501(r)-6 (what counts as an extraordinary collection action)
Amanda Alcodia
Education, not medical, legal or insurance advice.
Useful next steps
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