SAN ANTONIO — Inflation is impacting many households, leading some to delay paying bills. In this Verify, we explore one specific set of bills after a question from KENS5 viewer Sandra Wrase. Medical bills can become very high, and tonight we examine this Verify claim.
THE QUESTION
What is the statute of limitations on collecting medical bills?
THE SOURCES
Laurence Schneider, an attorney with Larson, Larimer, Schneider
Dr. Jean Cirillo, an attorney with JustAnswer.com
THE ANSWER
TRUE
WHAT WE FOUND
Schneider states there is a statute of limitations, and its duration depends on the state.
“As we all know, the American way of doing things differs from the rest of the world. Everyone wants their money immediately. So, one of the things we’re seeing is that those we encounter first—ambulances, hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent cares—want their money now,” Schneider said.
Dr. Cirillo explains that the statute of limitations on medical bills falls under the contract law of the state where the bill was incurred.
“In Texas, the statute of limitations for filing a breach of contract claim is four years from the date of the breach. This applies to both written and oral contracts,” Cirillo said. “The statute of limitations is a firm deadline, and missing it by any amount of time means you can’t sue.”
So, it is true. There is a statute of limitations on hospital bills, and in Texas, it is four years.
If your healthcare provider does not initiate a lawsuit within four years of when you were treated, they can no longer pursue you for any unpaid balances.