An Act to ensure uniform and transparent reporting of medical debt data

This Massachusetts bill creates a new state system to track and report medical debt data in order to make the issue more transparent. It requires healthcare providers to use a uniform electronic reporting system before they can send overdue bills to debt collection agencies. The system will collect detailed information about who carries medical debt, including data on race, income, disability status, and insurance coverage, to help identify patterns and disparities. Additionally, the bill updates credit reporting laws to allow medical debt to be included in consumer credit reports, with specific exceptions for large loans and life insurance underwriting. By centralizing this data, the legislation aims to help the state better understand and address the impact of medical debt on different populations.