Medical Debt Statute of Limitations in Massachusetts

Last verified 2026-07 · Source: M.G.L. c. 260, § 2 ✓ verified · 3 sources

Under M.G.L. c. 260, § 2, you have 6 years from Date the cause of action accrues — typically date of last service or when payment was first due to sue over unpaid medical bills in Massachusetts. Miss it and you lose the right to sue — but several Massachusetts-specific exceptions can extend (or shorten) that window, detailed below.

Massachusetts Deadlines for Related Claims

When the Clock Starts

In Massachusetts, the limitations period for medical debt collection generally begins on Date the cause of action accrues — typically date of last service or when payment was first due. Massachusetts recognizes a discovery rule for this claim type: Massachusetts courts apply the discovery rule; the 6-year SOL may begin when the plaintiff knew or reasonably should have known of the claim, though for routine unpaid medical bills the accrual date is typically the date of service or billing

Exceptions That Can Extend the Deadline

• Minors: the clock is generally paused while the injured person is under 18.
• Fraudulent concealment: if the defendant actively hid the wrongdoing, the deadline may be extended until it was or should have been uncovered.
• Defendant leaves the state: absence can pause the clock in many circumstances.

Contract actions — including medical debt as an implied or express contract for services — are subject to the 6-year SOL under c. 260, § 2. Massachusetts enacted comprehensive medical debt protections via Acts 2022, c. 224 (An Act Addressing High Costs of Health Care), but did not alter the contract SOL. Minor tolling under M.G.L. c. 260, § 7 suspends the period while the plaintiff is a minor.

Source: M.G.L. c. 260, § 2, official Massachusetts statute · verified 2026-07

What to Do Before the Deadline Runs

1. Pin down your accrual date — the day the clock started — and calendar the deadline conservatively.
2. Preserve evidence now: photos, records, witness contacts, bills. Evidence decays faster than deadlines.
3. Send preservation/notice letters where required (especially for Massachusetts government defendants).
4. If the deadline is inside 6 months, treat it as urgent — filing suit is the only reliable way to stop the clock.

How Massachusetts Compares to Nearby States

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

This page is legal information, not legal advice. Deadlines have exceptions that depend on your facts — confirm with a licensed Massachusetts attorney.