Nationally, the federal government and corporations are working hand-in-hand to dismantle many health care consumer protections. A federal judge recently struck down a Biden-era rule that aimed to remove medical debt from credit reports.
But here in Washington, people with medical debt will still be protected, thanks to a new state law. We worked with partners in our Fair Health Prices Washington coalition to support the new law, which just went into effect.
When we surveyed Washingtonians in 2024, nearly one-third reported being burdened by medical debt. Under the new law, credit reporting agencies can’t use medical debt when calculating a person’s credit score—often a key factor in securing housing and employment.
This reform is especially meaningful for low-income and underserved communities, who are disproportionately affected by medical billing practices and debt collection.