Hospital Collection Account - 18 years old

by Xiomara
(Miami, FL)

I just recently received a notification from Jackson Memorial Hospital stating I have unpaid medical bills from 1993; They told me I need to pay or get prepared for legal action; how can I verify an account that is so old? Is this legal in Florida? Are there any statue of limitations on these kind of accounts?

Reply from DebtCollectionAnswers.com:

Our understanding is that medical bills in Florida are generally subject to a four or five year statute of limitations. Did you receive notification from the hospital itself or from a collection agency? If the hospital notified you about this debt, then it is not subject to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. But if you were notified by a collection agency, then the threat of legal action may be illegal.

We would recommend you confirm the statute of limitations with a consumer law attorney, and if it turns out the debt is too old, just send a certified letter to the hospital and let them know the debt is too old. On the other hand, if you were contacted by a collection agency, then we would recommend you get a free consultation with a consumer law attorney to find out whether these threats were illegal. (The law firm we refer consumers to cannot help you with a complaint against a creditor unless you live in California.)

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