Ohio Medical Bills and Medical Debt

Can I get my bill reduced in Ohio?

Ohio has a law that requires hospitals to give free or discounted care to people with income up to 100% of the federal poverty level.

Income (% of poverty level)	What you get	Details
Up to 100%	Free care	If your family income is at or below 100% of the federal poverty level, the hospital must give you basic, medically necessary hospital-level services without charge. This covers inpatient and outpatient hospital services that Medicaid covers, except transplants.

These are the income levels written in the law. Each hospital decides using its own policy.

The law: Hospital Care Assurance Program (HCAP)
Which hospitals: Every hospital that receives Hospital Care Assurance Program funds from the state.
Who can get help: Ohio residents who are not on Medicaid and whose income is at or below the federal poverty level. The law does not limit it to uninsured patients; the hospital may bill any insurance or other third party first.
Deadline to apply: The hospital must accept applications for free care until three years after the date of the follow-up bill notice.

Law: Ohio Rev. Code 5168.14; Ohio Adm. Code 5160-2-17

All the details →

Check your income level

Find out what percent of the federal poverty level your household income is, and compare it with the income levels in Ohio law.

Is my debt too old in Ohio?

Kind of agreement	Time limit to sue
Written contract	6 years
Open account	6 years
Oral (spoken) agreement	6 years

A lawsuit on a consumer debt for personal, family or household purposes, written or not, including an account stated, must be filed within 6 years. A written contract also has a 6-year limit. Other contracts not in writing have a 4-year limit.

What can restart the clock

A payment, or a written acknowledgment or promise to pay signed by you, starts the time limit again from that date.

When the clock starts

For consumer transactions, the time starts 30 days after the last charge or the last payment by you or for you, whichever is later.

Law: Ohio Rev. Code 2305.06, 2305.07, 2305.08

A time limit to sue can differ by kind of agreement, and when it starts and what restarts it can differ; a court decides.

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Can they sue me or report it in Ohio?

Credit reports

No state limit

Ohio law has no rule limiting medical debt on credit reports.

Waiting rules

A hospital in the Hospital Care Assurance Program may bill you for care that could be free only if it has a procedure to check your income and cancel the charges, and if the first bill and first follow-up bill explain the free-care program.

Liens on your home

If a court judgment is for money owed for health care services or supplies for you or a dependent, the home you or a dependent live in is exempt from execution, garnishment, attachment or sale. A judgment lien can still be created on the home, but it cannot be enforced until the home is sold or transferred to someone other than your surviving spouse or minor children. Your interest in the home, up to the dollar amount in the law ($125,000 in the statute text, adjusted every three years by the Ohio Judicial Conference), is also exempt from that lien.

Law: Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(A)(1)(a); Ohio Rev. Code 5168.14(B)

Surprise bills and ambulance bills in Ohio

State law

Ohio surprise billing law

Law: H.B. 388, 2020; Ohio Rev. Code 3902.50 to 3902.54

Which plans it covers

Health benefit plans from state-regulated health plan issuers (insurance companies and HMOs). Self-funded employer plans are not covered.

What it adds

For emergency services at an out-of-network emergency facility in Ohio, and for unanticipated out-of-network care at an in-network facility (including lab work), providers and facilities may not bill you more than your in-network cost sharing.

Ground ambulance

The state protects you

If you have a state-regulated plan, an out-of-network ambulance in Ohio that gives you emergency services may not bill you for the difference between the plan's payment and its charge, and your plan may not charge you more cost sharing than in network.

Law: Ohio Rev. Code 3902.50(A), 3902.51(A)(1)(c), (C)(3), (D); Ohio Rev. Code 4765.01

Law: Ohio Rev. Code 3902.50 to 3902.54

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Itemized bills and price estimates in Ohio

Price estimates

If you have a state-regulated health plan and an out-of-network provider treats you at an in-network facility for care that is not an emergency or unanticipated, the provider may bill you more than your in-network cost sharing only if it tells you it is out of network, gives you a good faith estimate of the cost (its charge, the plan's expected payment and your share, with a note that you do not have to get the care there or from that provider), and you agree.

Law: Ohio Rev. Code 3902.51(E)

Health coverage and Medicaid in Ohio

Ohio Medicaid is Ohio's Medicaid program. Apply for it here:

Apply: Ohio Medicaid · 1-800-324-8680

Where to complain in Ohio

Health insurance: Ohio Department of Insurance, Consumer Services · 1-800-686-1526
Problems with a state-regulated health plan, including surprise bills and ambulance balance bills.
Attorney general: Ohio Attorney General, Consumer Protection Section
Complaints about debt collectors and other businesses.
Medicaid: Ohio Department of Medicaid Consumer Hotline · 1-800-324-8680
Questions about Medicaid enrollment or coverage.

Free help in Ohio

Free tools, letters and checklist

Good to know in Ohio

Ohio protects the home you live in from forced sale to pay a court judgment for medical bills; a lien can be recorded but waits until the home is sold or transferred.
Law: Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(A)(1)(a)
Free care under the Hospital Care Assurance Program covers basic, medically necessary hospital-level services (the inpatient and outpatient hospital services Medicaid covers, except transplants) for incomes at or below 100% of the poverty level.
Law: Ohio Adm. Code 5160-2-17

Changes in 2024–2026

No Ohio medical-debt law was enacted in 2024-2026. The Ohio Medical Debt Fairness Act bills remain as introduced.

Law: H.B. 257 and S.B. 444, 136th General Assembly

Questions about medical bills in Ohio

Does Ohio require hospitals to give free or discounted care?

Ohio has a law that requires hospitals to give free or discounted care to people with income up to 100% of the federal poverty level.

How long can a medical bill be collected or sued on in Ohio?

A lawsuit on a consumer debt for personal, family or household purposes, written or not, including an account stated, must be filed within 6 years. A written contract also has a 6-year limit.

Can a medical debt lead to wage garnishment or a lien on my home in Ohio?

If a court judgment is for money owed for health care services or supplies for you or a dependent, the home you or a dependent live in is exempt from execution, garnishment, attachment or sale. A judgment lien can still be created on the home, but it cannot be enforced until the home is sold or transferred to someone other than your surviving spouse or minor children.

Am I protected from ground ambulance bills in Ohio?