News items.
Families are being broadsided by unexpected ambulance bills — often out-of-network and aggressively collected. NPR reporter Bram Sable-Smith followed up in this story for All Things Considered.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/07/27/1113563630/the-ambulance-chased-one-patient-into-collections
Featured photo from Rodnae Productions/PEXELS
May 26, 2022: The NC House declined to act on the Senate’s proposed Medicaid expansion act, proposing their own version instead. Their proposal calls for yet another study, then for legislators to come back to Raleigh in December — after this fall’s election — for the actual vote approving the changes to the Medicaid program.
Read about it in NC Health News:
House speaker adds another Medicaid expansion plan to the mix
NC legislators are discussing new legislation which would relieve medical debt, especially for poorer families. House Bill 1039, “The Medical Bill De-Weaponization Act,” is intended to provide strict guide rails for hospital and medical systems regarding aggressive collections of medical debts.
Read about it on NPR:
North Carolina considers new laws to ‘de-weaponize’ medical debt and protect patients
New rules for credit reporting of medical debt are now in effect – here is how to check your credit report to make sure it is accurate.
Read on CNBC:
Settled medical debt is now dropping off credit reports — here’s how to check your record and make sure it’s right
The three major credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion – have announced a change to how medical debt will be reported. Medical debt paid within a year will be dropped for the report; later on, debts under $500 will not be reported at all. However, debts which have not been paid in full will continue to be reported. The good news for recipients of Debt Jubilee Project is that once the debt is paid, it will be removed from credit reports and no longer drag down credit ratings.
Read more from Forbes:
70% Of Medical Collection Debt Will Soon Be Removed From Credit Reports: Here’s What You Need To Know
