Bill > HB765

This bill, known as the Medical Debt Protection Act, introduces comprehensive protections for consumers dealing with medical debt in Georgia. The legislation requires large healthcare facilities to provide written notices about medical assistance eligibility to uninsured patients, mandates affordable payment plans with monthly payments not exceeding 5% of a patient's gross monthly income, and prohibits charging interest or late fees on medical debt. The bill restricts extraordinary collection actions, such as wage garnishment, property liens, or causing an individual's arrest, and prevents medical creditors from reporting medical debt to consumer reporting agencies for at least one year after billing. Additionally, the law protects consumers during health insurance appeals by preventing debt collection, reporting, or legal actions during pending review processes. The bill establishes that parents are jointly liable for medical debts of children under 18, but spouses cannot be held liable for each other's medical debts without explicit, voluntary consent. Importantly, the legislation provides consumers with the right to sue for enforcement and ensures that any agreements attempting to waive these protections are void. The law aims to provide more transparency, fairness, and protection for patients dealing with medical expenses, addressing many of the predatory practices often associated with medical debt collection.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71313