An Act providing for medical debt collection protection; and imposing duties on the Attorney General and the Department of Health.

SB 371, the Medical Debt Collection Protection Act, protects low-income patients from aggressive medical debt collection practices. It requires health care providers to screen patients for insurance and financial assistance *before* billing them for emergency or necessary care, and prohibits collectors from placing liens on primary homes or reporting debts to credit bureaus. The law also mandates a 30-day notice to patients before pursuing permissible actions like lawsuits or wage garnishment, including information about complaint procedures. It directly affects uninsured patients and those with household incomes under 300% of the federal poverty level (qualified patients), imposing new duties on the Attorney General and Department of Health for enforcement. The bill is currently pending in the Health & Human Services committee.