Bill > HB428

This bill introduces new regulations regarding medical debt and legal proceedings in Maryland, focusing on how medical debt can be pursued and the protections afforded to homeowners. Specifically, the bill defines "medical debt" as a debt owed to a medical services provider or their agent for medical services, products, or devices, and clarifies that debt charged to a credit card is generally not considered medical debt unless the credit card is specifically issued for health care services. The bill requires that any complaint seeking a money judgment for medical debt must indicate this fact and include the defendant's primary residence address. Critically, the bill prohibits creating a lien on owner-occupied residential property through a contract or contract breach related to medical debt, and mandates that if such a lien is improperly created, a court must remove it. The legislation applies only to complaints filed after its effective date (October 1, 2025), ensuring that it does not retroactively impact existing legal proceedings. These provisions aim to provide additional consumer protections by preventing medical providers from placing liens on a person's primary residence and ensuring more transparency in medical debt legal actions.

Health and Social Services, Justice

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0428?ys=2025RS