,i  #aad? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #eeic  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,june #bh1 #bjaf,mr4  
,delaney 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,hultgr51     
,mrs4 ,walorski1 & ,ms4 ,s9ema7         
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,f9ancial ,s]vices  ,a 
,,bill  ,to am5d ! ,fair ,cr$it ,report+
 ,act & ! ,fair ,debt ,collection       
,practices ,act to delay ! inclusion 9  
consum] cr$it reports & to e/abli%      
requirem5ts = debt collectors ) respect 
to m$ical debt in=mation ( vet]ans due  
to inappropriate or delay$ ,vet]ans     
,*oice ,program bill+ paym5ts1 & = o!r  
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,protect+ ,vet]ans ,cr$it  
,act ( #bjaf4  #b4 ,purpose ,! purpose (
 ?is ,act is to rectify report+ ( m$ical
 debt includ$ 9 a consum] report ( a    
vet]an due to inappropriate or delay$   
paym5t = hospital c>e or m$ical s]vices 
provid$ pursuant to section #aja ( !    
,vet]ans ,access1 ,*oice1 &             
,acc\ntability ,act ( #bjad 7#ch        

,u4,s4,c4 #agja note7 & to cl>ify !     
process ( debt collection = su* m$ical  
debt4  #c4 ,am5dm5ts to ,fair ,cr$it    
,report+ ,act  7a7 ,vet]an's ,*oice     
m$ical debt def9$ ,section #fjc ( !     
,fair ,cr$it ,report+ ,act 7#ae         
,u4,s4,c4 #afha;a7 is am5d$ by add+ at !
 end ! foll[+3  7z7 ,vet]an's ,*oice    
m$ical debt ,! t]m vet]an's ,*oice      
m$ical debt means a debt ( a vet]an     
aris+ f hospital c>e or m$ical s]vices  
provid$ pursuant to section #aja ( !    
,vet]ans ,access1 ,*oice1 &             
,acc\ntability ,act ( #bjad 7#ch        
,u4,s4,c4 #agja note74  7aa7 ,vet]an ,! 
t]m vet]an has ! mean+ giv5 su* t]m 9   
section #aja7b7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$     
,/ates ,code4  4  7b7 ,exclusion =      
vet]an's ,*oice m$ical debt ,section    
#fje7;a7 ( ! ,fair ,cr$it ,report+ ,act 
7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #afha;c7 is am5d$ by add+
 at ! end ! foll[+3  7#g7 ,any in=mation
 relat$ to a vet]an's ,*oice m$ical debt
 if ! date on :i* su* debt 0 plac$ =    
collection1 *>g$ to pr(it or loss1 or   

subject$ to any simil> action ant$ates !
 report by less ?an #a ye>4  7#h7 ,any  
in=mation relat$ to a fully paid or     
settl$ vet]an's ,*oice m$ical debt t _h 
be5 *>act]iz$ z del9qu5t1 *>g$ (f1 or 9 
collection4  4  7c7 ,removal ( vet]an's 
,*oice m$ical debt f consum] report     
,section #faa ( ! ,consum] ,cr$it       
,protection ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #afha;i7
 is am5d$-- 7#a7 9 subsection           
7a77#a77;,a71 by ins]t+ & except z      
provid$ 9 subsection 7g7 aft] subsection
 7f72 &  7#b7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ 
new subsection3  7g7 ,dispute process = 
vet]an's ,*oice m$ical debt ,a consum]  
may submit a notice along ) pro( (      
p>ticipation 9 ! program e/abli%$       
pursuant to section #aja ( ! ,vet]ans   
,access1 ,*oice1 & ,acc\ntability ,act (
 #bjad 7#ch ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note7 to a  
consum] report+ ag5cy or a resell] to   
dispute ! inclusion ( a vet]an's ,*oice 
m$ical debt on a consum] report ( !     
consum]4 ,n lat] ?an #cj days aft]      
receipt ( ! notice1 ! consum] report+   

ag5cy %all delete in=mation relat+ to ! 
vet]an's ,*oice m$ical debt f ! file ( !
 consum] & notify ! furni%] & ! consum] 
( t deletion4  4  #d4 ,communications   
reg>d+ vet]an's ,*oice m$ical debt  7a7 
,9 g5]al ,section #hji ( ! ,fair ,debt  
,collection ,practices ,act 7#ae        
,u4,s4,c4 #afib;g7 is am5d$-- 7#a7 9    
subsection 7a71 by ins]t+ 1 except = a  
vet]an's ,*oice m$ical debt z describ$ 9
 subsection 7f71 aft] any debt2 &  7#b7 
by add+ at ! end ! foll[+3  7f7         
,vet]an's ,*oice m$ical debt  7#a7      
,def9itions ,= purposes ( ?is           
subsection3  7,a7 ,consum] report+ ag5cy
 ,! t]m consum] report+ ag5cy has !     
mean+ giv5 su* t]m "u section #fjc7;f7 (
 ! ,fair ,cr$it ,report+ ,act4  7,b7    
,vet]an ,! t]m vet]an has ! mean+ giv5  
su* t]m 9 section #aja7b7 ( title #ch1  
,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7,c7 ,vet]an's    
,*oice m$ical debt ,! t]m vet]an's      
,*oice m$ical debt means a debt ( a     
vet]an aris+ f hospital c>e or m$ical   
s]vices provid$ pursuant to section #aja

 ( ! ,vet]ans ,access1 ,*oice1 &        
,acc\ntability ,act ( #bjad 7#ch        
,u4,s4,c4 #agja note74  7#b7            
,communications reg>d+ vet]an's ,*oice  
m$ical debt ,)9 five days aft] ! initial
 communication ) a vet]an 9 connection )
 ! collection ( a vet]an's ,*oice m$ical
 debt1 a debt collector %all1 unless !  
foll[+ in=mation is conta9$ 9 ! initial 
communication or ! vet]an has paid !    
debt1 s5d ! vet]an a writt5 notice      
conta9+--  7,a7 ! am\nt ( ! debt2  7,b7 
! "n ( ! cr$itor to :om ! debt is ow$2  
7,c7 a /atem5t t unless ! vet]an1 )9 #a 
ye> aft] ! initial communication1       
disputes ! validity ( ! debt1 or any    
portion !re(1 ! debt w be assum$ to be  
valid by ! debt collector2  7,d7 a      
/atem5t t if ! vet]an notifies ! debt   
collector 9 writ+ )9 su* #a-ye> p]iod t 
! debt1 or any portion !re(1 is disput$1
 ! debt collector w obta9 v]ification ( 
! debt or a copy ( a judgm5t aga9/ !    
vet]an & a copy ( su* v]ification or    
judgm5t w be mail$ to ! vet]an by ! debt

 collector2  7,e7 a /atem5t t1 ^u !     
vet]an's writt5 reque/ )9 su* #a-ye>    
p]iod1 ! debt collector w provide !     
vet]an ) ! "n & address ( ! orig9al     
cr$itor1 if diff]5t f ! curr5t cr$itor2 
7,f7 a /atem5t t ! debt collector w n   
report ! debt to a consum] report+ ag5cy
 until #a ye> aft] ! date on :i* ! debt 
collector s5ds ! /atem5t2 &  7,g7 a     
/atem5t t ! consum] may communicate )-- 
7i7 an insurance company to det]m9e     
cov]age = ! debt2  7ii7 ! ,dep>tm5t (   
,vet]ans ,affairs to det]m9e cov]age = !
 debt or repaym5t options2 or  7iii7 !  
provid] ( hospital c>e or m$ical s]vices
 provid$ pursuant to section #aja ( !   
,vet]ans ,access1 ,*oice1 &             
,acc\ntability ,act ( #bjad 7#ch        
,u4,s4,c4 #agja note74  7#c7 ,collection
 ( vet]an's ,*oice m$ical debt ,if !    
vet]an notifies ! debt collector 9 writ+
 )9 ! #a-ye> p]iod describ$ 9 p>agraph  
7#a7 t ! vet]an's ,*oice m$ical debt1 or
 any portion !re(1 is disput$1 or t !   
vet]an reque/s ! "n & address ( !       

orig9al cr$itor1 ! debt collector %all  
cease collection ( ! vet]an's ,*oice    
m$ical debt1 or any disput$ portion     
!re(1 until ! debt collector obta9s     
v]ification ( ! vet]an's ,*oice m$ical  
debt or a copy ( a judgm5t1 or ! "n &   
address ( ! orig9al cr$itor1 & a copy ( 
su* v]ification or judgm5t1 or "n &     
address ( ! orig9al cr$itor1 is mail$ to
 ! vet]an by ! debt collector4          
,collection activities & communications 
t d n o!rwise violate ?is title may     
cont9ue dur+ ! #a-ye> p]iod ref]r$ to 9 
p>agraph 7#a7 unless ! vet]an has       
notifi$ ! debt collector 9 writ+ t !    
vet]an's ,*oice m$ical debt1 or any     
portion ( ! debt1 is disput$ or t !     
vet]an reque/s ! "n & address ( !       
orig9al cr$itor4 ,any collection        
activities & communication dur+ ! #a-ye>
 p]iod may n ov]%ad[ or be inconsi/5t ) 
! disclosure ( ! vet]an's "r to dispute 
! vet]an's ,*oice m$ical debt or reque/ 
! "n & address ( ! orig9al cr$itor4  4  
#e4 ,effective date ,! am5dm5ts made by 

?is ,act %all take effect aft] ! end ( !
 #ij-;day p]iod beg9n+ on ! date ( !    
enactm5t ( ?is ,act4