,,ii  #aad? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #cbeh  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,july #ad1 #bjaf ,mr4  
,donnelly 7= himself & ,mr4 ,r\nds7     
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,bank+1 ,h\s+1 & ,urban ,affairs  ,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$ical debt in=mation ( vet]ans due  
to inappropriate or delay$ bill+ paym5ts
 or reimbursem5ts f ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,vet]ans ,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4    
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,protect+ ,vet]ans ,cr$it ,act (      
#bjaf4  #b4 ,purpose ,! purposes ( ?is  
,act are--  7#a7 to rectify report+ (   
m$ical debt includ$ 9 a consum] report (
 a vet]an due to inappropriate or delay$
 paym5t = hospital c>e or m$ical s]vices
 provid$ 9 a non-,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs facility "u ! laws adm9i/]$ by 

! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs2 &  7#b7
 to cl>ify ! process ( debt collection =
 su* m$ical debt4  #c4 ,am5dm5ts to fair
 cr$it report+ act  7a7 ,vet]an's 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 ,! t]m vet]an has !
 mean+ giv5 ! t]m 9 section #aja ( title
 #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7aa7        
,vet]an's m$ical debt ,! t]m vet]an's   
m$ical debt means a debt ( a vet]an     
aris+ f hospital c>e or m$ical s]vices1 
z ^? t]ms are def9$ 9 section #agja (   
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 provid$ 
9 a non-,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs   
facility "u ! laws adm9i/]$ by !        
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 includ+  
"u section #agjc1 #agab1 #agab;,a1      
#agbe1 or #agbh ( title #ch1 ,unit$     
,/ates ,code4  4  7b7 ,exclusion =      
vet]an's 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 m$ical debt if !   
date on :i* ! debt 0 plac$ = 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 m$ical debt t _h be5 *>act]iz$ 
z del9qu5t1 *>g$ (f1 or 9 collection4  4
  7c7 ,removal ( vet]an's m$ical debt f 
consum] report ,section #faa ( ! ,fair  
,cr$it ,report+ ,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[+3
  7g7 ,dispute process = vet]an's m$ical
 debt  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,) respect to a    
vet]an's m$ical debt ( a consum]1 !     
consum] may submit a notice along ) pro(
 ( liability ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs = paym5t ( t debt to a consum] 
report+ ag5cy or a resell] to dispute ! 
inclusion ( t debt on a consum] report (
 ! consum]4  7#b7 ,deletion ( in=mation 
f file ,n lat] ?an #cj days aft] ! date 

on :i* a notice is receiv$ "u p>agraph  
7#a71 ! consum] report+ ag5cy %all      
delete in=mation relat+ to ! vet]an's   
m$ical debt f ! file ( ! consum] &      
notify ! furni%] & ! consum] ( t        
deletion4  4  #d4 ,communications reg>d+
 vet]an's m$ical debt  7a7 ,9 g5]al     
,section #hji ( ! ,fair ,debt           
,collection ,practices ,act 7#ae        
,u4,s4,c4 #afib;g7 is am5d$-- 7#a7 9    
subsection 7a71 9 ! matt] prec$+        
p>agraph 7#a71 by ins]t+ 1 except = a   
vet]an's m$ical debt z describ$ 9       
subsection 7f71 aft] any debt2 &  7#b7  
by add+ at ! end ! foll[+3  7f7         
,vet]an's m$ical debt  7#a7 ,def9itions 
,9 ?is subsection--  7,a7 ! t]m consum] 
report+ ag5cy has ! mean+ giv5 ! t]m 9  
section #fjc ( ! ,fair ,cr$it ,report+  
,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #afha;a72  7,b7 !   
t]m vet]an has ! mean+ giv5 ! t]m 9     
section #aja ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates 
,code2 &  7,c7 ! t]m vet]an's m$ical    
debt means a debt ( a vet]an aris+ f    
hospital c>e or m$ical s]vices1 z ^?    

t]ms are def9$ 9 section #agja ( title  
#ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 provid$ 9 a   
non-,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs       
facility "u ! laws adm9i/]$ by !        
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 includ+  
"u section #agjc1 #agab1 #agab;,a1      
#agbe1 or #agbh ( title #ch1 ,unit$     
,/ates ,code4  7#b7 ,communications     
reg>d+ vet]an's m$ical debt ,n lat] ?an 
#e days aft] ! initial communication ) a
 vet]an 9 connection ) ! collection ( a 
vet]an's m$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$2  7,c7 a /atem5t t unless ! 
vet]an1 )9 #a ye> aft] receipt ( !      
notice1 disputes ! validity ( ! debt1 or
 any portion !re(1 ! debt w be assum$ to
 be valid by ! debt collector2  7,d7 a  
/atem5t t if ! vet]an notifies ! debt   
collector 9 writ+ )9 ! #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 ! #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$ical      
s]vices f :i* ! debt arises4  7#c7      
,collection ( vet]an's m$ical debt ,if !
 vet]an notifies ! debt collector 9     
writ+ )9 ! #a-ye> p]iod describ$ 9      
p>agraph 7#b77;,d7 t ! vet]an's m$ical  
debt1 or any portion !re(1 is disput$1  

or t ! vet]an reque/s ! "n & address ( !
 orig9al cr$itor1 ! debt collector %all 
cease collection ( ! vet]an's m$ical    
debt1 or any disput$ portion !re(1 until
 ! debt collector obta9s v]ification ( !
 vet]an's 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#b77;,d7 unless ! 
vet]an has notifi$ ! debt collector 9   
writ+ t ! vet]an's m$ical debt1 or any  
portion ( ! debt1 is disput$ or t !     
vet]an reque/s ! "n & address ( !       
orig9al cr$itor4 ,any collection        
activities & communication dur+ ! #a-ye>
 p]iod may n ov]%ad[ or be inconsi/5t ) 
! disclosure ( ! vet]an's "r to dispute 
! vet]an's m$ical debt or reque/ ! "n & 
address ( ! orig9al cr$itor4  4  #e4    
,effective date ,! am5dm5ts made by ?is 

,act %all take effect on ! date t is #ij
 days aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act4