{"id":2689,"date":"2026-03-11T15:47:32","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T19:47:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/senatedems.com\/anthony\/?p=2689"},"modified":"2026-03-11T16:46:25","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T20:46:25","slug":"senate-passes-bipartisan-legislation-to-protect-michiganders-burdened-by-medical-debt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/senatedems.com\/anthony\/2026\/03\/11\/senate-passes-bipartisan-legislation-to-protect-michiganders-burdened-by-medical-debt\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Michiganders Burdened by Medical Debt\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” type=”4_4″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]
Bills\u00a0would\u00a0safeguard\u00a0700,000 Michiganders\u00a0weighed down by\u00a0medical expenses\u00a0through\u00a0new guidelines for\u00a0hospitals, debt collection practices<\/i>\u00a0<\/div>\n
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LANSING, Mich. (March 11,\u00a02026)\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Medical debt is the\u00a0number one cause of bankruptcy\u00a0for\u00a0Michiganders and people across the country,\u00a0an alarming statistic\u00a0that underscores\u00a0the need for\u00a0swift, strategic\u00a0action.\u00a0To\u00a0tackle this\u00a0growing issue head-on\u00a0and\u00a0provide\u00a0support for those\u00a0struggling with medical expenses,\u00a0today,\u00a0the Michigan Senate passed a suite of comprehensive, bipartisan legislation championed by Sens. Sarah Anthony<\/b>\u00a0(D-Lansing)\u00a0and Jonathan Lindsey<\/b>\u00a0(R-Coldwater) that would\u00a0establish\u00a0clear guidelines for hospitals to offer financial\u00a0assistance\u00a0programs\u00a0while also regulating\u00a0how and when debt\u00a0can be collected.\u00a0<\/div>\n
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\u201cWhen medical debt can follow someone around for the rest of their life\u00a0\u2014\u00a0hurting\u00a0their ability to buy a home,\u00a0forcing them to forgo essential expenses like food and rent, and keeping\u00a0them from\u00a0getting\u00a0back on their feet\u00a0\u2014\u00a0we know the system is broken,\u201d said Sen. Anthony<\/b>.\u00a0\u201cBy making sure hospitals clearly offer financial\u00a0assistance\u00a0and by putting guardrails around extreme collection practices, we can give families a real chance to get back on their feet. I\u2019m\u00a0proud to see this legislation move forward and grateful for the bipartisan, bicameral work that made it possible. No one should be punished for getting the care they need and deserve.\u201d\u00a0<\/div>\n
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In the U.S., almost\u00a0one-third\u00a0of working-age adults<\/a><\/u><\/span>\u00a0are in debt due to medical or dental bills, while\u00a0nearly 40%\u00a0of\u00a0those\u00a0who have\u00a0experienced\u00a0medical debt say they have to cut back on\u00a0essential costs\u00a0like food, rent, and heat.\u00a0This legislation would align\u00a0Michigan with states\u00a0that\u00a0have the strongest\u00a0medical debt\u00a0protections in the country,\u00a0offering a real chance to\u00a0secure\u00a0meaningful\u00a0support for\u00a0families across the state\u00a0burdened by\u00a0medical\u00a0bills.\u00a0<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe Senate passing these bills marks a significant first step in delivering real relief for our state\u2019s medical debt crisis,\u201d said Sen. Lindsey<\/b>. \u201cRight now, too many Michiganders are burdened by medical debt with limited opportunities to escape it. Senator Anthony has been a leader on this issue, and our partnership on these legislative packages will ensure transparency in charity care and strengthen our state\u2019s laws on medical debt.\u201d\u00a0<\/div>\n
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Introduced last summer<\/a><\/u><\/span>,\u00a0Senate Bills 449<\/a><\/u><\/span>–451<\/a><\/u><\/span>\u00a0seek\u00a0to standardize the financial\u00a0assistance\u00a0programs\u00a0nonprofit hospitals\u00a0are required to\u00a0provide, while\u00a0establishing\u00a0clear, consistent eligibility\u00a0metrics\u00a0to ensure support is available to those who need it most.\u00a0This\u00a0package\u00a0would\u00a0also\u00a0prevent medical debt from being included in consumer credit reports, protecting residents from long-term financial harm due to health-related costs.\u00a0\u00a0<\/div>\n
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And, to provide meaningful protection from aggressive, harmful medical debt\u00a0collection\u00a0practices, Senate Bills 701<\/a><\/u><\/span>–702<\/a><\/u><\/span>, also introduced last year,\u00a0would:\u00a0<\/div>\n
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