Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Bill would cap prejudgment interest on some medical debt at 1%; health providers and collectors warn of unintended harm
Summary
ESSB 5993 would limit prejudgment interest on nonwritten medical debt incurred after 12/31/2026 to 1% per year and bar interest while required charity-care screening is incomplete; patient advocates praised the proposal while hospitals, collectors and provider groups warned the cap could shift costs or reduce access without stakeholder work.
The committee heard ESSB 5993 on Feb. 18, a bill to lower interest on certain medical debts and provide additional consumer protections.
Committee staff explained that Washington current law limits prejudgment interest on medical debt to 9% and that SB 5993 would cap interest at 1% per year for medical debt accrued after Dec. 31, 2026 when there is no written agreement, while leaving written-agreement interest unchanged. Staff also said the bill would bar interest for periods when required…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
