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Assembly Bill A8170

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Prohibits state-operated hospitals from suing patients for medical debt

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2023-A8170 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S7778
Law Section:
Public Health Law
Laws Affected:
Add Art 51 §5100, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in 2025-2026 Legislative Session:
A1356, S359

2023-A8170 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits state-operated hospitals from suing patients for medical debt; defines "medical debt".

2023-A8170 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8170
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             October 18, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to prohibiting state-
   operated hospitals from suing patients for medical debt
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new article 51
 to read as follows:
                                ARTICLE 51
        PROHIBITION ON STATE-OPERATED HOSPITALS SUING PATIENTS FOR
                               MEDICAL DEBT
 SECTION 5100. PROHIBITION ON STATE-OPERATED HOSPITALS SUING PATIENTS FOR
                 MEDICAL DEBT.
   § 5100. PROHIBITION ON STATE-OPERATED  HOSPITALS  SUING  PATIENTS  FOR
 MEDICAL  DEBT.  1.  NO  STATE UNIVERSITY HEALTH CARE FACILITY AUTHORIZED
 UNDER ARTICLE EIGHT OF THE EDUCATION LAW,  CANCER  INSTITUTE  AUTHORIZED
 UNDER  ARTICLE  TEN-C OF THE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES LAW, OR HOSPITAL AUTHOR-
 IZED UNDER SECTION TWENTY-SIX HUNDRED OF THIS CHAPTER SHALL PURSUE LITI-
 GATION IN CIVIL OR SUPREME COURT AGAINST A PATIENT FOR THE PURSUIT OF  A
 MEDICAL DEBT.
   2.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF THIS SECTION, THE TERM "MEDICAL DEBT" SHALL
 MEAN AN OBLIGATION OR ALLEGED OBLIGATION OF A CONSUMER TO PAY ANY AMOUNT
 RELATED TO THE RECEIPT OF HEALTH CARE  SERVICES,  PRODUCTS,  OR  DEVICES
 PROVIDED  TO  A PERSON BY A HOSPITAL LICENSED UNDER ARTICLE TWENTY-EIGHT
 OF THIS CHAPTER, A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL AUTHORIZED UNDER TITLE EIGHT
 OF THE EDUCATION LAW OR AN AMBULANCE  SERVICE  CERTIFIED  UNDER  ARTICLE
 THIRTY OF THIS CHAPTER.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13371-02-3

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