Medical debt resources

You don't have to piece this together alone. There are official agencies, nonprofit guides, and charities whose whole job is to help people deal with medical bills and debt.

This page collects some of the most useful starting points.

This isn't legal or financial advice, and policies change. Always check the latest information on the sites we link to.

1. Understanding your rights and protections

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

The CFPB publishes consumer advisories and explainers about medical bills, collection practices, and credit reporting:

• Medical debt hub – overview of how the CFPB is addressing unfair medical debt collection and credit reporting.
• Consumer advisory: “Pause and review your rights when you hear from a medical debt collector.”
• Q&A on medical bills, collections, and credit reports.
• Updates on rules about whether medical debt appears on credit reports and how lenders can use it.

These resources explain:

• What collectors can and can't do
• How and when medical debt may affect your credit
• How to submit a complaint if a collector crosses the line

City Bar Justice Center – Medical Debt Guides

The City Bar Justice Center has detailed PDFs on:

• A Guide to Medical Debt: Your Rights and Options – covers organizing bills, negotiating with providers, financial assistance, and dealing with collections.
• Cancer & Medical Debt: Resources & Options – includes a bankruptcy section and additional resources for people dealing with cancer-related bills.

These guides are written for patients and families, not lawyers, and are especially helpful if you want more depth on your legal options.

2. Nonprofit and advocacy resources

Community health and legal advocates

Several organizations produce DIY guides and offer one-on-one help:

• Community Health Advocates – DIY negotiating medical debt toolkit.
• State and local legal aid organizations – often have medical debt projects or can advise on collections, lawsuits, and bankruptcy.

They can help you:

• Understand hospital financial assistance policies
• Fill out applications and appeals
• Respond to collection actions and lawsuits

Charities and nonprofits that help with medical costs

Depending on your diagnosis and situation, some nonprofits can help with medical expenses or related costs:

• HealthWell Foundation – helps with copays, premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket costs for covered conditions.
• PAN (Patient Access Network) Foundation – financial assistance for out-of-pocket treatment costs for specific diseases.
• CancerCare, Family Reach, American Kidney Fund, and others – targeted assistance for certain conditions, treatment-related costs, and basic needs.

Each program has its own eligibility rules. Their sites usually include:

• Disease-specific programs
• Income and insurance requirements
• Application forms and contact info

3. Education on how medical debt happens and what it does

If you want to understand the bigger picture:

• NPR's series on medical debt – stories of how medical bills upend lives, plus practical tips to lower or negotiate bills.
• Research and reports on how medical debt affects millions of Americans, from think tanks and universities.

These won't fix a single bill, but they can make you feel less alone and better informed about the system you're up against.

4. Help with collections and credit

If your bills are already in collections or you're worried about your credit:

• CFPB explainers and advisory opinions on medical debt collection and illegal practices.
• Articles from credit bureaus and financial sites on how medical debt interacts with credit scores and reporting.

These resources can help you:

• Understand when a collector must pause while validating a debt
• Recognize unfair tactics
• Decide whether to prioritize settlement, payment plans, or legal help

5. Finding local help

National guides are useful, but a local advocate or legal aid group can make the biggest difference.

To find local help:

• Search: [your state] legal aid medical debt or [your state] patient advocacy medical bills.
• Check your state attorney general's or consumer protection office's website for medical debt information.
• Ask hospital financial counselors for referrals to nonprofits that help with bills and appeals.

6. Using these resources with our guides

The resources above are deep dives and support structures. To turn them into action:

• Use our guides to walk through specific steps (itemized bills, calls, collections).
• Use scripts and templates so you're not drafting letters from scratch.
• Then turn to these external resources if you need more detail, external advocacy, or legal support.