Medical debt in NC

In 2004 I was involved in an auto accident and it was settled in 2006. I had an unpaid balance to an orthopedic doctor apparently, but also had health insurance for what the settlement didn't cover.

I realize the settlement didn't pay this bill, but my insurance was still pending. I have not received any bills until Aug. 2009 and it is for a fairly large amount. Can the doctor's office still collect this amount?

Comments for Medical debt in NC

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Oct 27, 2009

Help with medical bill from auto accident
by: Gerri

Normally I would say that because the doctor has not been paid, they can still try to collect. However, this debt is somewhat old - five years - and the general statute of limitations in North Carolina is usually three years according to my research.

However, I am not an attorney and don't know if that law applies to medical debts in North Carolina. So I would suggest you research the statute of limitations for medical debts in your state (you can typically call your State Attorney General's office for that information).

However, it's not fair for the doctor not to get paid, so after you have this information, you may want to call them to tell them what happened and suggest they submit the claim to your health insurance company at the time of the accident.

If things get sticky, you may need the help of an attorney. You can get a free consultation by calling 888-711-5183.

As always, keep good records of who you spoke with when, and what was discussed. You can
download our free debt collection worksheet and use that.

I know you'd rather put this behind you but given the amount of money you say it is involved, it is important that you straighten this out so you don't end up with a collection account on your credit reports.

Please let Mary and me know what happens, OK? (You can comment on your post with an update.)

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