The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal or financial advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available in this article are for general informational purposes only.

Are you being sued for medical bills and wonder whether the medical bills are within the statute of limitations for Arkansas?

It is important to determine how old these medical bills are.

Why?

If the debt is outside of the statute of limitations in Arkansas, the creditor cannot sue you for the unpaid debt. If it's within the statute of limitations, you need to know your options because a default judgment against you could result in the creditor attempting to garnish your wages.

Estimate Your Debt's Statute of Limitations

Doctors and hospitals typically don’t report late payments directly to credit bureaus, but they may eventually send past-due accounts to outside collection agencies. If patients can’t pay the bill, the bill collectors may report the debt to the credit bureaus. The debt can then tarnish patients’ credit files and potentially their credit scores, which are calculated based on information in the report.

The following free debt statutes calculator provides very valuable information, including:

1. The statute of limitations for your medical debt.

2. What the creditor can do if they get a default judgment against you.

3. Different options you have to resolve the debt quickly before a lawsuit and/or judgment.

No contact information is required, and if you're skeptical about "free products" like I am, please read how Ascend works and how we maintain a 5.0 rating on Google based on over 300 reviews.

Arkansas Medical Debt Laws

You may be wondering when the Arkansas statute of limitations begins. Does the statute start on the date you went to the care center, got the bill, the date of the bill, etc?

Per §16-56-111, medical debt statute of limitations in Arkansas is 5 years and begins from the last payment activity or the date on the bill.

Here's the specific legal text:

16-56-111. Notes and instruments in writing and other writings. (a) Actions to enforce written obligations, duties, or rights, except those to which 4-4-111 is applicable, shall be commenced within five (5) years after the cause of action shall accrue. (b) However, partial payment or written acknowledgment of default shall toll this statute of limitations.

Be sure you know your rights when it comes to hospitals garnishing your wages.

Is Medical Debt in Arkansas Considered A Written Contract or an Oral Contract?

Every state has a different statute of limitations on written and oral contracts.

Medical debt is considered a written contract.

A written contract is any debt that comes with a contract signed by both you and the creditor.

Oftentimes, a written contract will include the terms and conditions, like the monthly payment and the total amount.

What Are Options To Eliminate Medical Debt in Arkansas?

Let's consider your Arkansas debt relief options. One option is to write a medical hardship letter. However, sometimes other measures need to be taken, so we will discuss other options.

Just for context, there are pros and cons to each debt relief option, so be sure to consider everything before taking action. The calculator above will also help you understand the specific options, including payment estimates and pros and cons. Read the information below the calculator for additional information.

Arkansas Debt Relief

First of all, before entering into a debt relief or Arkansas debt-relief program, make sure you have a legitimate medical hardship. If you get into unnecessary debt (like getting state-of-the-art electronics or luxury cars) to get into a debt relief program, most debt relief companies will avoid you like the plague and it might be termed as a fraudulent action. As a means of debt relief, debt settlement is highly beneficial for people who are struggling to meet their medical bill obligations. But there is a catch- you have to accept that the debt is valid. If you dispute the debt or think that the way the debt accumulated was unfair, then you don’t qualify for debt settlement.

People who have medical debts, no source of income, have lost their jobs, and have no financial support are suitable candidates for debt relief. You’ll want to compare debt settlement vs bankruptcy and debt management vs debt settlement to make sure you make the most informed decision when deciding on debt settlement. You will also want to learn about debt settlement tax implications, credit score impact, and lawsuits.

Debt Management

A debt management plan is a debt relief option that helps people reduce their unsecured debt; in this case, medical debt, and regain financial control. After you enroll in a debt management arrangement, you have to make predetermined monthly contributions to a credit counseling company. These monthly contributions are determined by what you can comfortably afford. In most cases, the monthly amount results from an analysis comparing your household expenses against your earnings (income).

Bankruptcy

For many people overwhelmed by medical bills and debts, the most commonly asked question from them is whether they can file for medical bankruptcy without all the other debts coming up. While you can easily file for bankruptcy in Arkansas due to medical debt, the chances of the other debts that you have incurred arising are pretty huge.

The common forms of bankruptcy are the Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Arkansas and the Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Arkansas. There are major differences between the two options, but Chapter 7 is often much faster and much less expensive, although you may have had to qualify via the bankruptcy means test, where your household income is below the state's median income level, defined by household size.

Ascend Wants to Help

If you have questions about the medical debt statute of limitations in Arkansas, debt collection lawsuits, or any other debt questions, please feel free to contact Ascend at 833-272-3631.

We offer complimentary debt evaluations to help you understand your options when facing crippling medical bills. Let’s work together to find the best solution to your debt problems.

Medical Debt Statute of Limitations in Arkansas