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Medical debt laws in Oregon

OREGON · STATUTE-SOURCED · MAINTAINED — LAST REVIEWED AUG 2026 · FREE, NO ACCOUNT

In Oregon, the statute of limitations on medical debt is 6 years (Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.080(1)). ORS 12.080(1) applies one 6-year period to any 'action upon a contract or liability, express or implied,' so medical bills — whether viewed as written contracts, implied contracts, or open accounts — all carry the same 6-year period; there is no medical-debt-specific limitations statute in Oregon. That clock decides whether a collector can win a lawsuit against you — which changes what you should do next, so check the dates on the bill before you do anything else.

Oregon — statute of limitations on debt
Written contracts6 years
Oral agreements6 years
Open accounts (credit cards)6 years
Medical debt6 years
SOURCE: Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.080(1)

What the time limit actually means

The statute of limitations does not erase a debt — it limits how long a collector can successfully sue over it. A time-barred debt can still be requested, reported (within credit-reporting time limits), and settled. But if a collector sues after the period has run and you raise the statute of limitations as a defense, the case should be dismissed. The defense is not automatic: you must respond to the lawsuit to use it.

Careful: Yes — under ORS 12.240, a payment of principal or interest on an existing contract debt restarts the limitations period from the date of the last payment.

Oregon protections for medical debt

  • Hospital financial-assistance screening before collection (HB 3320, 2023) (Or. Rev. Stat. § 442.615 (presumptive financial-assistance screening, refunds, appeals — HB 3320 § 1) and Or. Rev. Stat. § 646A.677 (screening before collection referral, medical-debt interest caps, ban on collecting from non-responsible family members)) — Operative July 1, 2024 (HB 3320 § 6), hospitals must presumptively screen a patient for financial-assistance eligibility if the patient is uninsured, is enrolled in the state medical assistance program, or owes the hospital more than $500 (ORS 442.615), must screen before transferring an unpaid charge to a debt collector (ORS 646A.677(4)), must refund patients later found to have been eligible, may charge only capped interest on medical debt, and may not collect from a patient's child or other family member who is not financially responsible; violations are unlawful collection practices.
  • Medical-debt credit-reporting ban (SB 605, 2025) (Or. Laws 2025, ch. 343 (SB 605) (effective Jan. 1, 2026)) — Hospitals, creditors, and debt collectors may not report the existence or amount of an Oregon resident's medical debt to a consumer reporting agency, and reporting agencies must block medical debt from reports; consumers can sue under the Unlawful Trade Practices Act for statutory damages and attorney fees, and a court can void an improperly reported debt.
  • Charity care is federal law. Nonprofit hospitals must maintain a written Financial Assistance Policy and publicize it (IRS §501(r)). If your bill is from a nonprofit hospital, ask for the FAP application before paying anything. How to apply →
  • Surprise out-of-network bills. The federal No Surprises Act bans most out-of-network balance billing for emergency care and for out-of-network providers at in-network facilities. When a bill is illegal →
  • Credit reporting. The national bureaus no longer report paid medical collections, medical collections under $500, or those less than a year old.

Rules Oregon sets for collectors

Beyond the federal FDCPA, Oregon has its own collection statute — the Oregon Unlawful Debt Collection Practices Act (Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 646.639–646.656). Prohibits harassment, threats, false representations, and other unfair collection tactics, and applies broadly to original creditors collecting their own consumer debts as well as third-party collectors and debt buyers, with private remedies under the Unlawful Trade Practices Act.

Yes — debt collectors and collection agencies must register with the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, Division of Financial Regulation, under ORS chapter 697 (ORS 697.031).

Under the FDCPA, within five days of first contacting you a collector must send a written validation notice (15 U.S.C. §1692g). If you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days of that notice, the collector must stop collection activity until it mails you verification. There is no legal deadline for the collector to respond — but until it does, it cannot lawfully keep collecting.

If a collector is calling: the first 24 hours

  1. Do not confirm the debt is yours on the phone, and do not make a payment yet — get everything in writing first.
  2. Ask for the collector’s company name, mailing address, and the amount claimed. Write down the date and time.
  3. Check the dates: if the last activity on the bill is older than 6 years, the debt may be time-barred in Oregon.
  4. Send a written validation request within 30 days. Generate the letter free →
  5. If the bill is from a hospital, request an itemized bill and ask about financial assistance — billing errors are common and assistance is often retroactive.

Where to complain in Oregon

Oregon Department of Justice Consumer Protection Section handles collection complaints at the state level. Federally, file with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — complaints become part of the public record collectors are judged on.

Common questions

How long can a debt collector pursue medical debt in Oregon?

The statute of limitations on medical debt in Oregon is 6 years (Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.080(1)). ORS 12.080(1) applies one 6-year period to any 'action upon a contract or liability, express or implied,' so medical bills — whether viewed as written contracts, implied contracts, or open accounts — all carry the same 6-year period; there is no medical-debt-specific limitations statute in Oregon. After that period, a lawsuit to collect can be challenged as time-barred, though collectors may still ask you to pay voluntarily.

Can I be sued for a medical bill after 6 years in Oregon?

A collector can still file a lawsuit after the limitations period, but the statute of limitations is a defense: if you raise it, a time-barred case should be dismissed. It is not automatic — you must respond to the lawsuit and assert it. Never ignore a court summons.

Does making a small payment restart the clock in Oregon?

Yes — under ORS 12.240, a payment of principal or interest on an existing contract debt restarts the limitations period from the date of the last payment.

Does unpaid medical debt go on my credit report?

Since 2023, the three national credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) do not report paid medical collections, medical collections under $500, or medical collections less than a year old. Larger, older unpaid medical collections can still appear.

Do hospitals in Oregon have to offer financial assistance?

Every nonprofit hospital in the United States is required by federal law (IRS Section 501(r)) to have a written Financial Assistance Policy and to tell patients about it. Oregon adds its own protections on top — see the list on this page.

How do I dispute a medical bill that went to collections?

Send the collector a written debt validation request. Under the federal FDCPA (15 U.S.C. §1692g), if you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days of their first notice, the collector must stop collecting until it mails you verification of the debt. You can generate that letter free on this site — no account needed.

Where do I complain about a debt collector in Oregon?

File with the Oregon Department of Justice Consumer Protection Section (https://justice.oregon.gov/forms/consumer_complaint.asp) and with the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Complaints are free and create a record.

Keep reading

Legal information, not legal advice. Statutes change and courts interpret them — for advice on your situation, talk to a lawyer or your state’s legal aid office. Last reviewed AUG 2026.

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