I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5330 
To amend the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to provide a timetable 
for verification of medical debt and to increase the efficiency of credit 
markets with more perfect information, to prohibit consumer reporting 
agencies from issuing consumer reports containing information about 
debts related to medically necessary procedure, about and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 5, 2019 
Ms. TLAIB introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To amend the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to provide 
a timetable for verification of medical debt and to in-
crease the efficiency of credit markets with more perfect 
information, to prohibit consumer reporting agencies 
from issuing consumer reports containing information 
about debts related to medically necessary procedure, 
about and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Dec 06, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5330.IH
H5330
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Consumer Protection 
for Medical Debt Collections Act’’. 
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE FAIR DEBT COLLECTION 
PRACTICES ACT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 809 of the Fair Debt Col-
lection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. 1692g) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) ADDITIONAL NOTICE REQUIREMENTS FOR MED-
ICAL DEBT.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) CONSUMER
REPORTING
AGENCY.— 
The term ‘consumer reporting agency’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 603(f) of the 
Fair 
Credit 
Reporting 
Act 
(15 
U.S.C. 
1681a(f)). 
‘‘(B) MEDICAL DEBT.—The term ‘medical 
debt’ means a debt arising from the receipt of 
medical services, products, or devices. 
‘‘(2) NOTICE ABOUT CREDIT REPORTING.—Be-
fore furnishing information regarding a medical debt 
of a consumer to a consumer reporting agency, the 
person furnishing the information shall send a state-
ment to the consumer that includes the following: 
‘‘(A) A notification that the medical debt 
may not be reported to a consumer reporting 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Dec 06, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5330.IH
H5330
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
agency until the end of the 1-year period begin-
ning on the later of— 
‘‘(i) the date on which the person 
sends the statement; and 
‘‘(ii) the last date on which the con-
sumer made any payment to the person 
with respect to the medical debt. 
‘‘(B) A notification that, if the debt is set-
tled or paid by the consumer or an insurance 
company before the end of the 1-year period de-
scribed under subparagraph (A)— 
‘‘(i) the debt may not be reported to 
a consumer reporting agency; and 
‘‘(ii) the consumer may, any time be-
fore the end of such that 1-year period— 
‘‘(I) communicate with an insur-
ance company to determine coverage 
for the debt; or 
‘‘(II) apply for financial assist-
ance. 
‘‘(3) NO REPORTING BEFORE THE END OF THE 
1-YEAR PERIOD.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Before the end of the 
1-year period described in paragraph (2)(A), no 
person may communicate with, or report any 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Dec 06, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5330.IH
H5330
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
information to, any consumer reporting agency 
regarding a debt described in that paragraph. 
‘‘(B) REPORTING AFTER THE END OF THE 
1-YEAR
PERIOD.—Nothing in this subsection 
shall prohibit a person from communicating 
with, or reporting any information to, a con-
sumer reporting agency regarding a medical 
debt of a consumer after the end of the 1-year 
period described in paragraph (2)(A) with re-
spect to the debt. 
‘‘(4) NO DEBT COLLECTION BEFORE THE END 
OF THE 1-YEAR PERIOD.—With respect to a medical 
debt, before the end of the 1-year period described 
in paragraph (2)(A), a debt collector may not en-
gage in activities to collect or attempt to collect such 
medical debt owed or due or asserted to be owed.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
this section shall take effect on the date that is 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON REPORTING MEDICALLY NEC-
ESSARY PROCEDURES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 605(a) of the Fair Credit 
Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681c(a)) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new paragraph: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Dec 06, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5330.IH
H5330
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
‘‘(9) Any information related to a debt arising 
from a medically necessary procedure.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
this section shall take effect on the date that is 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Dec 06, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5330.IH
H5330
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS