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COVID-19 Medical Debt Relief: Collection Suspension and Repayment Plans

This act aims to protect patients from aggressive medical debt collection related to COVID-19. It suspends collection actions and allows for the pause of repayment plans, while also providing additional safeguards for citizens during the challenging pandemic period.
Key points
Suspension of COVID-19 related medical debt collection by healthcare providers who received federal relief funds.
Patients can request a suspension of medical debt repayment plans, with no interest or fees accruing during this period.
Extension of health insurance appeal deadlines and prohibition of interest and fees on COVID-19 related medical debts.
Financial penalties for healthcare providers who fail to comply with the act's provisions, including damages for patients.
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Status:
Expired
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Additional Information
COVID–19 Medical Debt Collection Relief Act of 2021
Print number: S 355
Sponsor: Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
Process start date: 2021-02-22
System Note: Lustra is free, publicly auditable civic infrastructure, with full source code available on GitHub. You are reading sterilized legislative data, processed by our radical neutrality engine to strip political spin and retain factual mechanics. We process only official government data. Original documents remain the authoritative source, always verify them if you can.
Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20
Source data: api.congress.gov
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Summary & Status

Key Questions about COVID-19 Medical Debt Relief: Collection Suspension and Repayment Plans

A structured overview of the legislative process, official sources, status and civic context.

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is S 355.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the Senate.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2021-02-22.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • Suspension of COVID-19 related medical debt collection by healthcare providers who received federal relief funds.
  • Patients can request a suspension of medical debt repayment plans, with no interest or fees accruing during this period.
  • Extension of health insurance appeal deadlines and prohibition of interest and fees on COVID-19 related medical debts.
  • Financial penalties for healthcare providers who fail to comply with the act's provisions, including damages for patients.

What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Introduced in Senate

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-29.

Analysis and Potential Impact of S 355

We don't know, that is up to you to decide. Summarizing raw data with AI is fundamentally different from predicting socio-economic outcomes. As of 2026, we believe impact assessment strictly requires a human in the loop to verify and judge. Review our public AI processing logs for full transparency, and use Lustra to track active legislation for instant status push notifications.

CATEGORIES

Health Economy