CGS § 20-7i. Medical debt. Definition. Prohibition on reporting by health care provider to credit rating agency.

(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Collection entity” means any individual, partnership, corporation, trust, estate, cooperative, association, government or government subdivision, agency or other entity that either purchases medical debt or collects medical debt on behalf of another entity;

(2) “Credit rating agency” and “credit report” have the same meanings as provided in section 36a-695;

(3) “Health care goods” means goods, including, but not limited to, products, devices, durable medical equipment and prescription drugs;

(4) “Health care provider” has the same meaning as provided in section 19a-17b;

(5) “Health care services” has the same meaning as provided in section 38a-478; and

(6) “Medical debt” means an obligation or alleged obligation of a consumer to pay any amount related to the receipt by the consumer of health care goods or health care services. “Medical debt” does not include debt charged to a credit card unless the credit card is issued under an open-end or closed-end credit plan offered specifically for the payment of charges related to health care goods or health care services.

(b) On and after July 1, 2024, any health care provider or any collection entity doing business in this state shall not report any portion of a medical debt to a credit rating agency for use in a credit report. A health care provider doing business in this state shall include in any contract entered into with a collection entity on and after July 1, 2024, for the purchase or collection of medical debt a provision that prohibits the reporting of any portion of such medical debt to a credit rating agency.

(c) Any portion of a medical debt that is reported to a credit rating agency shall be void.