Patient rights
Medical billing rights
by state
Every state has different rules for medical debt collection, balance billing, and charity care. Know yours before you pay.
3–10 yrs
SOL range across states
18+
States with balance billing laws
10+
States with strong charity care laws
50
States covered
Select your state
Alabama
(AL)
6yr SOL
Alaska
(AK)
3yr SOL
Arizona
(AZ)
6yr SOL
Arkansas
(AR)
5yr SOL
California
(CA)
4yr SOL
Colorado
(CO)
6yr SOL
Connecticut
(CT)
6yr SOL
Delaware
(DE)
3yr SOL
Florida
(FL)
5yr SOL
Georgia
(GA)
6yr SOL
Hawaii
(HI)
6yr SOL
Idaho
(ID)
5yr SOL
Illinois
(IL)
5yr SOL
Indiana
(IN)
6yr SOL
Iowa
(IA)
10yr SOL
Kansas
(KS)
5yr SOL
Kentucky
(KY)
5yr SOL
Louisiana
(LA)
3yr SOL
Maine
(ME)
6yr SOL
Maryland
(MD)
3yr SOL
Massachusetts
(MA)
6yr SOL
Michigan
(MI)
6yr SOL
Minnesota
(MN)
6yr SOL
Mississippi
(MS)
3yr SOL
Missouri
(MO)
10yr SOL
Montana
(MT)
8yr SOL
Nebraska
(NE)
5yr SOL
Nevada
(NV)
6yr SOL
New Hampshire
(NH)
3yr SOL
New Jersey
(NJ)
6yr SOL
New Mexico
(NM)
6yr SOL
New York
(NY)
6yr SOL
North Carolina
(NC)
3yr SOL
North Dakota
(ND)
6yr SOL
Ohio
(OH)
6yr SOL
Oklahoma
(OK)
5yr SOL
Oregon
(OR)
6yr SOL
Pennsylvania
(PA)
4yr SOL
Rhode Island
(RI)
10yr SOL
South Carolina
(SC)
3yr SOL
South Dakota
(SD)
6yr SOL
Tennessee
(TN)
6yr SOL
Texas
(TX)
4yr SOL
Utah
(UT)
6yr SOL
Vermont
(VT)
6yr SOL
Virginia
(VA)
5yr SOL
Washington
(WA)
6yr SOL
West Virginia
(WV)
5yr SOL
Wisconsin
(WI)
6yr SOL
Wyoming
(WY)
10yr SOL
Has state balance billing protections
SOL = Statute of limitations on medical debt
Federal protections that apply in every state
- ✓ No Surprises Act protects against surprise out-of-network bills for emergency services
- ✓ Medical debt under $500 cannot appear on credit reports
- ✓ Medical debt cannot appear on credit reports for at least 12 months
- ✓ Paid medical debt is removed from credit reports
- ✓ FDCPA: You can demand debt validation within 30 days of first collector contact
- ✓ Nonprofit hospitals must offer financial assistance under IRS 501(r)
- ✓ Good Faith Estimate required for uninsured/self-pay patients before scheduled services
Know your rights. Then use them.
Upload your bill and we’ll flag every overcharge, coding error, and billing violation.
This is an informational resource, not legal advice. Laws change frequently. Consult an attorney for your specific situation. Last updated March 2026.