Strengthening Consumer Protections and Medical Debt Transparency Act

The Strengthening Consumer Protections and Medical Debt Transparency Act sets new rules for how health care providers and debt collectors handle medical debt. It requires providers to check if patients qualify for financial assistance (like charity care) before collecting debt and to pause collections during health insurance appeals. The bill prohibits aggressive tactics like lawsuits or wage garnishment for 180 days after the initial bill is sent and mandates clear, itemized billing for patients. Additionally, it establishes a public database requiring health care entities to report detailed collection data broken down by race, ethnicity, and location, which the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will use for oversight.