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Advocates, legal aid push bill to bar liens for non‑hospital medical debt; creditors ask for narrower definition
Summary
Senate Bill 349 would prohibit placing liens on a homeowner's primary residence to collect medical debt from non‑hospital providers; advocates said liens disproportionately harm low‑income households, creditors sought a narrower definition of covered debt.
Senate Bill 349, presented Jan. 29 by Sen. Sarah Love, would prohibit creditors from creating a lien on an owner‑occupied primary residence to collect medical debt incurred with non‑hospital providers (for example, outpatient clinics, dental practices and long‑term care providers). Sponsors described the measure as an extension of earlier Maryland law that already barred liens for hospital medical debt.
Supporters — including the Attorney General’s health education unit, Economic Action Maryland Fund, and consumer advocates — argued that medical debt litigation and liens disproportionately affect…
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