Over the past decade, Maryland hospitals filed more than 140,000 lawsuits against patients, to recover unpaid bills. The median amount owed was just $944. Left unpaid, this debt can lead to a lien on a person’s home or car, or even garnished wages. Marceline White, of theMaryland Consumer Rights Coalition, describes the crushing burden of an unpaid hospital bill. This interview originally aired Dec. 21, 2020.
Read the report on Maryland's medical debt lawsuits here.
Today at noon, the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition and other supporters are holding a virtual event. Register here. At 1:30 pm, the House Health & Government Operations Committee will hold a hearing on House Bill 565 - The Medical Debt Protection Act. The Senate Finance Committee will take testimony on its version of the bill next week.
