{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/59.1-611.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/59.1-611.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/59.1-611.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/59.1-611.html"}],"law_id":78764,"edition_id":1,"section_id":78764,"structure_id":16162,"section_number":"59.1-611","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Definitions","history":"2025, c. 692.","full_text":"As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Consumer reporting agency” has the same meaning as provided in \u00a7 59.1-444.1.\n\t\t“Emergency services” has the same meaning as provided in \u00a7 38.2-3438.\n\t\t“Extraordinary collection action” means any action taken to obtain payment of a medical debt that:\n\n1\n\nInvolves selling an individual’s medical debt to another party;2\n\nInvolves reporting adverse information about an individual to consumer reporting agencies;3\n\nInvolves deferring, denying, or requiring a payment before providing emergency services or urgent services because of an individual’s nonpayment of medical debt; or4\n\nRequires a legal or judicial process, including placing a lien on an individual’s property, foreclosing on an individual’s real property, attaching or seizing an individual’s bank account or any other personal property, commencing a civil action against an individual, causing an individual’s arrest, causing an individual to be subject to a writ of body attachment, or garnishing an individual’s wages.\n\t\t\t“Financial assistance policy” means a written policy made pursuant to 26 C.F.R. § 1.501(r)-1 or § 32.1-137.010 or other written policy for providing financial assistance to patients adopted by a large health care facility or medical creditor voluntarily or otherwise as required by applicable federal or state law or regulation.\n\t\t\t“Health care services” has the same meaning as provided in § 59.1-444.1.\n\t\t\t“Large health care facility” includes:1\n\nAny hospital licensed by the Department of Health pursuant to Chapter 5 (§ 32.1-123 et seq.) of Title 32.1 and any outpatient clinic or facility operating under the license of such a hospital; and2\n\nAny practice that provides outpatient medical, surgical, behavioral, optical, radiology, laboratory, dental, or other health care services with revenues of at least $20 million annually.\n\t\t\t“Medical creditor” means any entity that provides health care services for which a consumer (i) owes medical debt or (ii) if such medical debt has been sold, previously owed medical debt.\n\t\t\t“Medical debt” has the same meaning as provided in § 59.1-444.1.\n\t\t\t“Medical debt buyer” means a person that is engaged in the business of purchasing medical debt or collecting medical debt on behalf of another entity, whether such person collects the medical debt directly or hires an attorney or other third party to collect such medical debt.\n\t\t\t“Medical debt collector” means any person that regularly collects or attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, medical debts originally owed, due, or asserted to be owed or due to another. “Medical debt collector” includes a medical debt buyer.\n\t\t\t“Patient” means the individual who received health care services and includes a parent if the patient is a minor or a legal guardian if the patient is an adult under guardianship.\n\t\t\t“Urgent services” means health care services the delay of which could seriously jeopardize an individual’s life, health, or ability to regain maximum function.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":282211,"text":"As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Consumer reporting agency” has the same meaning as provided in \u00a7 59.1-444.1.\n\t\t“Emergency services” has the same meaning as provided in \u00a7 38.2-3438.\n\t\t“Extraordinary collection action” means any action taken to obtain payment of a medical debt that:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":282212,"text":"Involves selling an individual’s medical debt to another party;","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":282213,"text":"Involves reporting adverse information about an individual to consumer reporting agencies;","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":282214,"text":"Involves deferring, denying, or requiring a payment before providing emergency services or urgent services because of an individual’s nonpayment of medical debt; or","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":282215,"text":"Requires a legal or judicial process, including placing a lien on an individual’s property, foreclosing on an individual’s real property, attaching or seizing an individual’s bank account or any other personal property, commencing a civil action against an individual, causing an individual’s arrest, causing an individual to be subject to a writ of body attachment, or garnishing an individual’s wages.\n\t\t\t“Financial assistance policy” means a written policy made pursuant to 26 C.F.R. § 1.501(r)-1 or § 32.1-137.010 or other written policy for providing financial assistance to patients adopted by a large health care facility or medical creditor voluntarily or otherwise as required by applicable federal or state law or regulation.\n\t\t\t“Health care services” has the same meaning as provided in § 59.1-444.1.\n\t\t\t“Large health care facility” includes:","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3","next_prefix":"1"},"5":{"id":282216,"text":"Any hospital licensed by the Department of Health pursuant to Chapter 5 (§ 32.1-123 et seq.) of Title 32.1 and any outpatient clinic or facility operating under the license of such a hospital; and","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"4","next_prefix":"2"},"6":{"id":282217,"text":"Any practice that provides outpatient medical, surgical, behavioral, optical, radiology, laboratory, dental, or other health care services with revenues of at least $20 million annually.\n\t\t\t“Medical creditor” means any entity that provides health care services for which a consumer (i) owes medical debt or (ii) if such medical debt has been sold, previously owed medical debt.\n\t\t\t“Medical debt” has the same meaning as provided in § 59.1-444.1.\n\t\t\t“Medical debt buyer” means a person that is engaged in the business of purchasing medical debt or collecting medical debt on behalf of another entity, whether such person collects the medical debt directly or hires an attorney or other third party to collect such medical debt.\n\t\t\t“Medical debt collector” means any person that regularly collects or attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, medical debts originally owed, due, or asserted to be owed or due to another. “Medical debt collector” includes a medical debt buyer.\n\t\t\t“Patient” means the individual who received health care services and includes a parent if the patient is a minor or a legal guardian if the patient is an adult under guardianship.\n\t\t\t“Urgent services” means health care services the delay of which could seriously jeopardize an individual’s life, health, or ability to regain maximum function.","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1"}},"ancestry":[{"id":16162,"edition_id":1,"name":"Medical Debt Protection Act","identifier":"59","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12809,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:07:45","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:07:45","permalink":{"id":262903,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16162,"identifier":"59","token":"59.1\/59","url":"\/59.1\/59\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12809,"edition_id":1,"name":"Trade and Commerce","identifier":"59.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","permalink":{"id":259521,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12809,"identifier":"59.1","token":"59.1","url":"\/59.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":78764,"structure_id":16162,"section_number":"59.1-611","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Definitions","url":"\/59.1-611\/","token":"59.1\/59\/59.1-611","metadata":false},{"id":66490,"structure_id":16162,"section_number":"59.1-612","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Billing and collection rules; limits on creditors","url":"\/59.1-612\/","token":"59.1\/59\/59.1-612","metadata":false},{"id":64274,"structure_id":16162,"section_number":"59.1-613","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Enforcement; penalties","url":"\/59.1-613\/","token":"59.1\/59\/59.1-613","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":66490,"structure_id":16162,"section_number":"59.1-612","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Billing and collection rules; limits on creditors","url":"\/59.1-612\/","token":"59.1\/59\/59.1-612","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/59.1-611\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2025. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 692<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":[{"id":82977,"section_number":"59.1-200","catch_line":"Prohibited practices","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-200\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":80727,"section_number":"32.1-123","catch_line":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-123\/"},{"id":76816,"section_number":"32.1-137.010","catch_line":"Financial assistance; payment plans","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-137.010\/"},{"id":57210,"section_number":"38.2-3438","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/38.2-3438\/"},{"id":72869,"section_number":"59.1-444.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-444.1\/"}],"permalink":{"id":262905,"object_type":"law","relational_id":78764,"identifier":"59.1-611","token":"59.1\/59\/59.1-611","url":"\/59.1-611\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/59.1-611\/","token":"59.1\/59\/59.1-611","dublin_core":{"Title":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 59.1-611","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Consumer reporting agency<\/span>” has the same meaning as provided in \u00a7 59.1-444.1<\/a>.\n\t\t“Emergency services<\/span>” has the same meaning as provided in \u00a7 38.2-3438<\/a>.\n\t\t“Extraordinary collection action<\/span>” means any action taken to obtain payment of a medical debt<\/span> that:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Involves selling an individual’s medical debt<\/span> to another party<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Involves reporting adverse information about an individual to consumer reporting agencies; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Involves deferring, denying, or requiring a payment before providing emergency services<\/span> or urgent services<\/span> because of an individual’s nonpayment of medical debt<\/span>; or <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> Requires a legal or judicial process, including placing a lien<\/span> on an individual’s property, foreclosing on an individual’s real property, attaching or seizing an individual’s bank account or any other personal property, commencing a civil action<\/span> against an individual, causing an individual’s arrest<\/span>, causing an individual to be subject to a writ<\/span> of body attachment<\/span>, or garnishing an individual’s wages.\n\t\t\t“Financial assistance policy<\/span>” means a written policy made pursuant to 26 C.F.R. § 1.501(r)-1 or § 32.1-137.010<\/a> or other written policy for providing financial assistance to patients<\/span> adopted by a large health care facility or medical creditor<\/span> voluntarily or otherwise as required by applicable federal or state law<\/span> or regulation.\n\t\t\t“Health care services<\/span>” has the same meaning as provided in § 59.1-444.1<\/a>.\n\t\t\t“Large health care facility” includes: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Any hospital licensed by the Department of Health pursuant to Chapter 5 (§ 32.1-123<\/a> et seq.) of Title 32.1 and any outpatient clinic or facility operating under the license of such a hospital; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Any practice that provides outpatient medical, surgical, behavioral, optical, radiology, laboratory, dental, or other health care services<\/span> with revenues of at least $20 million annually.\n\t\t\t“Medical creditor<\/span>” means any entity that provides health care services<\/span> for which a consumer (i) owes medical debt or (ii) if such medical debt has been sold, previously owed medical debt.\n\t\t\t“Medical debt” has the same meaning as provided in § 59.1-444.1<\/a>.\n\t\t\t“Medical debt buyer<\/span>” means a person that is engaged in the business of purchasing medical debt or collecting medical debt on behalf of another entity, whether such person collects the medical debt directly or hires an attorney or other third party<\/span> to collect such medical debt.\n\t\t\t“Medical debt collector<\/span>” means any person that regularly collects or attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, medical debts<\/span> originally owed, due, or asserted to be owed or due to another. “Medical debt collector<\/span>” includes a medical debt buyer<\/span>.\n\t\t\t“Patient<\/span>” means the individual who received health care services<\/span> and includes a parent if the patient<\/span> is a minor<\/span> or a legal guardian if the patient<\/span> is an adult under guardianship.\n\t\t\t“Urgent services<\/span>” means health care services<\/span> the delay of which could seriously jeopardize an individual’s life, health, or ability to regain maximum function. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\n(EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026) DEFINITIONS (\u00a7 59.1-611)\n\nAs used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Consumer reporting agency” has the same meaning as provided in \u00a7\n59.1-444.1.\n\t\t“Emergency services” has the same meaning as provided in \u00a7\n38.2-3438.\n\t\t“Extraordinary collection action” means any action taken to obtain\npayment of a medical debt that:\n\n1. Involves selling an individual’s medical debt to another party;\n\n2. Involves reporting adverse information about an individual to consumer\nreporting agencies;\n\n3. Involves deferring, denying, or requiring a payment before providing\nemergency services or urgent services because of an individual’s\nnonpayment of medical debt; or\n\n4. Requires a legal or judicial process, including placing a lien on an\nindividual’s property, foreclosing on an individual’s real property,\nattaching or seizing an individual’s bank account or any other personal\nproperty, commencing a civil action against an individual, causing an\nindividual’s arrest, causing an individual to be subject to a writ of body\nattachment, or garnishing an individual’s wages.\n\t\t\t“Financial assistance policy” means a written policy made\npursuant to 26 C.F.R. § 1.501(r)-1 or § 32.1-137.010 or other written\npolicy for providing financial assistance to patients adopted by a large health\ncare facility or medical creditor voluntarily or otherwise as required by\napplicable federal or state law or regulation.\n\t\t\t“Health care services” has the same meaning as provided in §\n59.1-444.1.\n\t\t\t“Large health care facility” includes:\n\n1. Any hospital licensed by the Department of Health pursuant to Chapter 5\n(§ 32.1-123 et seq.) of Title 32.1 and any outpatient clinic or facility\noperating under the license of such a hospital; and\n\n2. Any practice that provides outpatient medical, surgical, behavioral, optical,\nradiology, laboratory, dental, or other health care services with revenues of at\nleast $20 million annually.\n\t\t\t“Medical creditor” means any entity that provides health care\nservices for which a consumer (i) owes medical debt or (ii) if such medical debt\nhas been sold, previously owed medical debt.\n\t\t\t“Medical debt” has the same meaning as provided in §\n59.1-444.1.\n\t\t\t“Medical debt buyer” means a person that is engaged in the\nbusiness of purchasing medical debt or collecting medical debt on behalf of\nanother entity, whether such person collects the medical debt directly or hires\nan attorney or other third party to collect such medical debt.\n\t\t\t“Medical debt collector” means any person that regularly collects\nor attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, medical debts originally owed,\ndue, or asserted to be owed or due to another. “Medical debt\ncollector” includes a medical debt buyer.\n\t\t\t“Patient” means the individual who received health care services\nand includes a parent if the patient is a minor or a legal guardian if the\npatient is an adult under guardianship.\n\t\t\t“Urgent services” means health care services the delay of which\ncould seriously jeopardize an individual’s life, health, or ability to\nregain maximum function.\n\nHISTORY: 2025, c. 692.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}