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Am I responsible for my ex-husband's medical bill despite a court judgment?

Am I responsible for my ex-husband's medical bill despite a court judgment?

Q: Can medical bills under $500 go to collections?

Yes, medical bills under $500 can go to collections. There is no minimum amount required for a debt to be sent to collections. If the bill remains unpaid, the provider may choose to involve a collection agency regardless of the amount.

Q: Can medical debt under $500 affect your credit?

Yes, medical debt under $500 can affect your credit score if it goes to collections. Once a debt is reported to credit bureaus, it can lower your credit score, impacting your ability to secure loans or credit in the future.

Q: What happens if a medical bill gets sent to collections?

If a medical bill is sent to collections, the collection agency will attempt to collect the debt from you. This may involve phone calls, letters, and potentially legal action. The debt may also be reported to credit bureaus, which can affect your credit score.

Q: How much does a medical bill have to be to go to collections?

There is no specific amount that a medical bill must reach to go to collections. Providers can send any unpaid medical bill to collections, regardless of the amount, if they choose to do so.

Full question:

I have a supplemental judgment modification that states my ex husband is 80% and I am 20% responsible for all out of pocket medical expenses. I just received a notice from a collection agency regarding an $800 plus $150 interest medical bill from 2010 for our oldest son. The bill was in my husband's names as he is the one required to carry primary insurance on the children. Apparently he went into the account for this outstanding bill online and changed the responsible party information to list myself. I contacted the agency and told them what the judgment stated and they told me they didn't care, that if one parent doesn't pay the other parent is fully responsible. How can this be if I have a document signed by a judge stating differently? Please tell me this is not true only a scare tactic by the agency. The bill was my ex husbands insurance deductible amount-is that my out of pocket responsibility?

Category: Debts and Credit
Date: 04/07/2025
State: Oregon

Answer:

Hospitals are not bound by divorce decrees, so they may pursue collection based on their agreements with the insurer and the hospital. If your ex-husband is violating the court order regarding insurance payments, this could be a contempt issue. You may file a motion for contempt in the court that issued the order. If he fails to comply, the court can order him to pay for the resulting losses. You can also submit a Judgment on Rule for Contempt, which is a prepared judgment for the judge to sign, to help the court make a determination. A certificate of service must accompany the petition to show that it was served on your ex-husband.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.

FAQs

Do collections under $100 get reported?

Yes, collections under $100 can still be reported to credit bureaus. However, not all collection agencies report small debts, and policies can vary. It's important to check with the specific agency handling your debt to understand their reporting practices.

Am I responsible for my ex-husband's medical debt?

Your responsibility for your ex-husband's medical debt depends on the terms of your divorce decree. If a court order specifies that he is primarily responsible for medical expenses, you may not be liable for his debts. However, collection agencies may still pursue you if they believe you are responsible, so it's important to clarify your obligations.