A pair of bills advanced out of the Rhode Island legislature that will impact medical debt collections in the state. Rhode Island H 5184 will prohibit medical debt credit reporting and will prohibit the filing of an execution and attachment against a consumer’s principal residence for judgements based on medical debt. Rhode Island S 0172 will place an interest rate cap on medical debt to try and protect patients.
Rhode Island H 5184 adds the state to the growing list that prohibit medical debt from being placed on a patient’s credit report. H 5184 also provides that no execution shall be filed against a defendant’s principal residence when the judgement in the action is based on medical debt.
Rhode Island S 0172 would keep interest rates on medical debt capped between 1.5 and 4 percent and would not allow patients on financial assistance to be charged interest or late fees. Medical debt was defined as an obligation of a consumer to pay an amount for the receipt of healthcare services (products or services) owed to a healthcare facility or professional.
Both Rhode Island H 5184 and S 0172 have passed both chambers in Rhode Island and have been sent to Governor Daniel McKee. If signed, Rhode Island H 5184 would go into effect on January 1, 2026, while Rhode Island S 0172 would go into effect immediately.
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