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Public Act 103-0648
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| Public Act 103-0648 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning business. | ||||
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||
represented in the General Assembly: | ||||
Section 5. The Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business | ||||
Practices Act is amended by adding Section 2EEEE as follows: | ||||
(815 ILCS 505/2EEEE new) | ||||
Sec. 2EEEE. Credit reporting; medical debt. | ||||
(a) As used in this Section: | ||||
"Collection action" means any referral of a bill to a | ||||
collection agency or law firm to collect payment for services | ||||
from a consumer for health care services. | ||||
"Collection agency" means any individual, partnership, | ||||
corporation, trust, estate, co-operative, association, | ||||
government or government subdivision, agency, or other entity | ||||
that either purchases medical debt or collects medical debt on | ||||
behalf of another entity. | ||||
"Consumer report" or "credit report" have the meaning | ||||
ascribed to the term "consumer report" under 15 U.S.C. | ||||
1681a(d). | ||||
"Consumer reporting agency" has the meaning ascribed to | ||||
that term in 15 U.S.C. 1681a(f). | ||||
"Medical debt" means a debt arising from the receipt of | ||||
health care services, products, or devices. | ||||
"Medical debt" does not include debt charged to a credit | ||
card or an open-end or close-end extension of credit made by a | ||
financial institution to a borrower unless the open-end or | ||
close-end extension of credit may be used by the borrower | ||
solely for the purpose of the purchase of health care | ||
services. | ||
(b) It is an unlawful practice within the meaning of this | ||
Act for a consumer reporting agency: | ||
(1) to make, create, or furnish any consumer report or | ||
credit report containing, incorporating, or reflecting any | ||
adverse information that the consumer reporting agency | ||
knows or should know relates to medical debt incurred by | ||
the consumer or a collection action against the consumer | ||
to collect medical debt; and | ||
(2) to maintain in the file on a consumer any | ||
information relating to medical debt incurred by a | ||
consumer or a collection action against the consumer to | ||
collect medical debt. | ||