,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #djcg  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,june #bc1 #bjbj,mrs4  
,loeffl] 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$it ,report+
 ,act to protect ! cr$it ( pati5ts )    
sub/antial m$ical bills4  #a4 ,%ort     
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,pati5t 
,cr$it ,protection ,act ( #bjbj4  #b4   
,cr$it protection = pati5ts  7a7        
,in=mation exclud$ f consum] reports    
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,section #fje7;a7 ( !     
,fair ,cr$it ,report+ ,act 7#ae         
,u4,s4,c4 #afha;c7a77 is am5d$ by add+  
at ! end ! foll[+3  7#i7 ,debts incurr$ 
9 a collection acc\nt ) a m$ical indu/ry
 code if1 bas$ on in=mation furni%$ by !
 provid] ( m$ical treatm5t-- 7,a7 !     
consum] 0 cov]$ by a heal? b5efit plan  
at ! "t ( ! ev5t giv+ rise to !         
collection2 &  7,b7 ! collection is = an
 out/&+ balance aft] ! consum]'s %>e (  
copaym5ts1 d$uctibles1 & co9surance ow$ 

= m$ical treatm5t h be5 paid or are be+ 
paid z "p ( a paym5t plan4  7#aj7 ,debts
 incurr$ by a consum] = paym5t =        
unconscionably excessive m$ical exp5ses 
= heal? c>e items & s]vices furni%$ at a
 p>ticipat+ hospital 7z def9$ 9 section 
#ahfg7;e77#b7 ( ! ,social ,security ,act
 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie;dd7e77#b777-- 7,a7
 )\t ! express writt5 cons5t ( ! provid]
 ( ! heal? c>e items & s]vices2 &  7,b7 
)\t provid+ a fair opportunity = !      
consum] to *all5ge or appeal1 z def9$ by
 ! ,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices1
 ! co/ ( ! m$ical bill or bills = su*   
heal? c>e items & s]vices z             
unconscionably excessive 9 ! relevant1  
private heal? c>e m>ket 7includ+ 9 !    
individual & gr\p m>kets7 & prev5t su*  
report+ = co/s to a consum] report+     
ag5cy by ! collector ( ! debt t !       
,secret>y det]m9es are unconscionably   
excessive 9 ! relevant1 private heal?   
c>e m>ket 9 accordance ) guidance issu$ 
by ! ,secret>y pursuant to section      
#b7;a77#b7 ( ! ,pati5t ,cr$it           

,protection ,act ( #bjbj4  4  7#b7      
,guidance  7,a7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is      
p>agraph-- 7i7 ! t]ms consum]1 consum]  
report1 consum] report+ ag5cy1 & ,f$]al 
bank+ ag5cy h ! mean+s giv5 ^? t]ms 9   
section #fjc ( ! ,fair ,cr$it ,report+  
,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #afha;a72  7ii7 !   
t]m p>ticipat+ hospital has ! mean+ giv5
 ! t]m 9 section #ahfg7;e77#b7 ( !      
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#acie;dd7e77#b772 &  7iii7 ! t]m        
,secret>y means ! ,secret>y ( ,heal? &  
,human ,s]vices4  7,b7 ,issuance ,n lat]
 ?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( 
?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y1 9 consultation ) 
! ,director ( ! ,bureau ( ,consum]      
,f9ancial ,protection1 ! ,f$]al ,trade  
,commission1 ! ,f$]al bank+ ag5cies1 & !
 ,national ,cr$it ,union ,adm9i/ration1 
%all issue guidance to c>ry out p>agraph
 7#aj7 ( section #fje7;a7 ( ! ,fair     
,cr$it ,report+ ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4     
#afha;c7a771 z add$ by p>agraph 7#a74   
7,c7 ,cont5ts ,! guidance issu$ "u      
subp>agraph 7,b7 %all provide-- 7i7 !   

circum/ances "u :i* a consum] ) an      
out/&+ balance = copaym5ts1 d$uctibles1 
co9surance1 or o!r m$ical exp5ses =     
heal? c>e items or s]vices furni%$ at a 
p>ticipat+ hospital may1 be=e !         
collector ( ! debt reports t balance to 
a consum] report+ ag5cy1 *all5ge or     
appeal ! co/ ( ! m$ical bill or bills = 
^? heal? c>e items & s]vices z          
unconscionably excessive 9 ! relevant1  
private heal? c>e m>ket1 includ+ 9 !    
individual & gr\p m>kets2  7ii7 t !     
det]m9ation ( :e!r ! co/s describ$ 9    
clause 7i7 are unconscionably excessive 
%all be by ! ,secret>y made by tak+ into
 consid]ation in=mation made public by  
hospitals pursuant to "p #ahj ( title   
#de1 ,code ( ,f$]al ,regulations1 or any
 successor regulation2  7iii7 a         
framework = timely resolution if ! co/s 
describ$ 9 clause 7i7 are det]m9$ to be 
unconscionably excessive2  7iv7 t 9 no  
case %all a consum] report+ ag5cy be    
held liable = report+ in=mation t       
violates p>agraph 7#aj7 ( section       

#fje7;a7 ( ! ,fair ,cr$it ,report+ ,act 
7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #afha;c7a771 z add$ by   
p>agraph 7#a71 if !y 7 n furni%$ )      
necess>y in=mation or did n h reason to 
"k ( su* a violation2 &  7v7 t debts    
incurr$ by a consum] = paym5t =         
unconscionably excessive m$ical exp5ses 
9 ! process to *all5ge or appeal ! co/ (
 ! m$ical bill or bills describ$ 9      
clause 7i7 %all n be report$ to a       
consum] report+ ag5cy until aft] a      
det]m9ation ( ! *all5ge or appeal has   
be5 made1 includ+ if ! process keeps    
m$ical debt f be+ report$ to a consum]  
report+ ag5cy beyond ! a #ahj-;day wait+
 p]iod be=e includ+ m$ical debt on a    
consum]'s cr$it report1 at :i* "t if !  
m$ical debt is det]m9$ to n be          
unconscionably excessive1 ! debt %all be
 imm$iately made available to ! consum] 
report+ ag5cy4  7,d7 ,rule ( con/ruction
 ,no?+ 9 ?is p>agraph %all be int]pret$ 
to all[ ! ,secret>y to in/itute a price 
/ructure = ! reimbursem5t ( m$ical co/s4
  7b7 ,removal ( impairm5t f m$ical debt

 ,section #faa ( ! ,fair ,cr$it ,report+
 ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #afha;i7 is am5d$  
by add+ at ! end ! foll[+3  7h7 ,removal
 ( impairm5t f m$ical debt ,:5 notifi$ t
 a debt incurr$ by an individual =      
paym5t = m$ical exp5ses has be5 paid 9  
full or t su* an individual is 9 regul> 
compliance ) a p]iodic paym5t plan      
betwe5 ! provid] & consum] to settle su*
 debt1 any impairm5t result+ f t debt   
mu/ be remov$ )9 #cj days4  4