Bill > H1386

This bill establishes a comprehensive uniform medical debt reporting system designed to provide transparency and protect patients from unfair medical debt collection practices. The bill defines "medical debt" as any debt owed for medical services and "significant medical debt" as any debt exceeding $200. The proposed system, to be coordinated by a central health information center, will require providers to report medical debt data before sending bills to collection agencies and will collect detailed demographic information including race, gender, disability status, income level, age, and other characteristics. The system aims to analyze medical debt trends, understand the impact of medical debt on different population groups, and create a publicly accessible portal for this information. Providers will be required to report medical debt data to the secretary of health and human services before sending debt to collection, and the system will track various metrics such as debt assignment rates, settlement success, and potential public health implications. Additionally, the bill places restrictions on reporting certain types of medical debt, such as recently paid or recently acquired debt, and modifies existing laws to support these new reporting requirements.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1386