Idaho Collectors Association continues grassroots advocacy campaign.
3/10/2020 11:30
The Idaho State Senate approved legislation that would add new requirements for medical debt collectors by a 32-1- vote this week. The bill will now head to Gov. Brad Little’s desk and would take effect in January 2021 if signed.
The Idaho Patient Act (HB 515) is the subject of an ongoing grassroots campaign by the Idaho Collectors Association to educate key lawmakers about the potential impact of the requirements.
According to an article in the Post Register newspaper, “the bill would require providers to submit a bill to a patient’s insurance or to the patient within 45 days of providing a service or discharging the patient, and to send the patient a summary of services within 15 days after that. From there, no interest could be charged for another 60 days, and a medical provider could not sue a patient or turn a bill over to collections until 90 days after a patient receives a final statement.”
The bill also sets a limit on attorneys’ fees that could be assessed to patients at $350 or 100% of the principal amount, whichever is less, if there is no contest in the case, according to the article. In contested cases, attorneys’ fees would be limited at $750 or 100% of the principal amount, whichever is less.
The Idaho Press reports State Sen. Steve Vick, R-Dalton Gardens, voted against the bill because, while there are issues with the current law, the Idaho Patient Act goes too far in the regulations.