Who is the guarantor for medical bills?

The guarantor for a medical bill is the individual responsible to pay the bill, according to The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Most patients who are over age 18 are their own guarantors, but children under 18 cannot enter into legally binding contracts, so a parent is the guarantor.

It is ultimately the guarantor's responsibility to ensure payment of a medical bill to a hospital or physician. While most medical care facilities bill insurance and wait until the company makes payment before billing the patient, if the insurance provider does not pay, the responsibility falls on the guarantor, according to Saint Francis Healthcare.