Average medical debt: $2,459. 80% of medical bills contain errors. The No Surprises Act protects against out-of-network surprise bills. Medical debt can't appear on credit reports for 365 days.
Dispute Strategies
1
Request itemized bill with CPT codes
2
Check for No Surprises Act violations
3
Apply for hospital financial assistance
4
Dispute errors line by line
5
Negotiate — hospitals accept 40-60% routinely
Relevant Laws
No Surprises Act
42 USC § 300gg-111 (balance billing)
FDCPA if in collections
State surprise billing laws
Expert Tips
ALWAYS get an itemized bill before paying
Nonprofit hospitals must offer financial assistance
Medical debt has 365-day credit reporting grace period