Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether Washington, D.C. hospitals, health care providers, and medical debt collectors are complying with new protections intended to prevent patients from being pursued for medical bills they cannot afford.
The District enacted the Medical Debt Mitigation Amendment Act of 2026, which establishes significant new protections for patients. Among other things, the law establishes minimum financial assistance requirements for covered health care facilities, including free medically necessary care for eligible patients with household incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and discounted care for eligible patients earning up to 500%. It also restricts medical debt collection, including advance notice requirements, limits on interest, restrictions on wage garnishment and property liens, and protections for patients with pending insurance appeals.
The law also requires covered facilities to screen certain patients for financial assistance and provides procedures for correcting certain judgments when a patient is subsequently determined to qualify for assistance.
What Consumers May Have Experienced:
- Receiving collection demands for medical bills despite potentially qualifying for free or discounted care;
- Being threatened with wage garnishment or a lien against their primary residence;
- Receiving medical debt collection communications without adequate notice or information about financial assistance;
- Being pressured to use medical credit cards or third-party financing to pay for treatment.
- Facing collection activity while an insurance appeal was pending;
- Having a medical debt reported to a consumer reporting agency.
Potential Claims May Include:
- Violations of the D.C. Medical Debt Mitigation Amendment Act of 2026, once the applicable provisions become operative;
- Violations of the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act, including restrictions involving certain medical lending products;
- Prohibited wage garnishment or property liens involving medical debt;
- Failure to provide required financial assistance or payment-plan options;
- Improper collection activity during a pending insurance appeal;
- FDCPA violations by third-party debt collectors, where applicable.
Signs You May Be Affected:
- A D.C. hospital or health care provider pursued you for medical debt;
- You were threatened with wage garnishment or a lien against your primary residence over a medical bill;
- You received collection demands while appealing an insurance denial;
- You were not informed about financial assistance before being asked to pay;
- You were encouraged to apply for a medical credit card while receiving treatment;
- You were charged interest or fees on a medical debt that may be subject to statutory restrictions.
If a Washington, D.C. hospital or health care provider pursued you for medical debt, threatened wage garnishment or a property lien, or denied financial assistance despite your potential eligibility, Migliaccio & Rathod LLP would like to hear from you. Please complete the contact form on this page, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call at (202) 470-3520.