Guides · Last reviewed October 27, 2026

A debt collector contacted you about a medical bill: dispute it in writing within 30 days

A collector must give you key details about the debt. If you dispute it in writing by the end date on the notice (30 days after you receive it), the collector must stop collecting the disputed amount until it sends you verification of the debt.

What the collector has to tell you

Under the CFPB's Regulation F, a collector gives you validation information in its first contact, or in a written notice within five days of it. The notice includes:

• The collector's name and the mailing address for disputes
• The original creditor and the current creditor
• The debt amount on the itemization date, and an itemization of interest, fees, payments and credits since then
• The current amount
• The end date of your 30-day validation period, and how to dispute

If a collector can't or won't give you this information, the CFPB says it could be a scam. Don't share account or financial details until you've confirmed who is contacting you.

The 30-day clock

The validation period ends 30 days after you receive the notice. You are assumed to receive it five days after it's sent, not counting weekends and legal public holidays. Use the end date printed on the notice. If you don't dispute by that date, the collector can assume the debt is valid. Disputing later is still worth doing, but the stop-collection protection described below applies to disputes made in time.

What a timely written dispute does

• The collector must stop collecting the disputed amount until it sends verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment.
• Until it responds with verification, it can't call or contact you to collect.
• You can also ask in writing for the original creditor's name and address. The collector must stop collecting until it sends it.

Disputing doesn't erase a debt. If the collector verifies it, you may still owe it, and a collector can still sue or report a debt to the credit bureaus.

How to send the dispute

1. Write it down. A phone call doesn't trigger the protection. Include your name, address, the account number from the notice, and what you dispute (the whole debt, or part of it).
2. Say what you want. Ask for verification of the debt and the original creditor's name and address.
3. Send it by certified mail with a return receipt. Keep a copy and send the original. The return receipt proves when the collector received it.
4. Keep records. Save everything the collector sends and note the dates and details of any calls.
5. Don't send original documents. If you paid already, send copies of proof such as bank or card statements.

Sample letter

The CFPB also publishes free sample letters on its debt collection tools page. Check the current wording before you send one.

Before you pay anything: check these first

1. Ask for an itemized bill from the provider and look for errors. See how to get an itemized medical bill.
2. Ask about financial assistance. A nonprofit hospital may reduce or erase the balance if you qualify. See hospital financial assistance.
3. Check surprise-billing rules if the bill came from out-of-network care. See the No Surprises Act guide.
4. Check your credit reports. See medical debt on your credit report.

If you are sued, don't ignore the court papers. Contact a local legal aid office or a lawyer right away. This guide doesn't cover lawsuits.

Common questions

Sources

• CFPB Regulation F, 12 CFR 1006.34: Notice for validation of debts
• CFPB: What can I do if a debt collector contacts me about a debt I already paid or don't think I owe?
• CFPB: What should I do when a debt collector contacts me?

Billmira is a self-help information tool, not a law firm, and this isn't legal or medical advice. Rules change and plans differ; check the official sources above and your own documents.