Bill Introduced in House to Remove Certain Medical Debts from Native Americans’ Credit Reports

A bipartisan bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives to amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act by restricting certain types of medical debt from appearing on the credit reports of Native Americans as a means of protecting them from wrongfully charged medical bills that are actually owed by the Indian Health Service.

The bill, H.R. 7515, was introduced on Friday by Rep. Dusty Johnson [R-S.D.], and is being cosponsored by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers [R-Wash.], Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez [D-N.M.], Rep. Ryan Zinke [R-Mont.], and Rep. Dan Newhouse [R-Wash.]. The bill is called the Protecting Native Americans’ Credit Act.

Debts covered under the bill are those incurred by a Native American for healthcare provided at a non-Indian Health Service facility that was approved by an IHS employee and includes medical debt that the Secretary of Health and Human Services has wrongfully charged a Native American.

When disputing a medical debt, a Native American would be allowed to submit proof of liability of the Department of Health and Human Services fr payment or provide documentation that the Indian Health Services is in the process of making payment for authorized services to prevent that information from appearing on a consumer’s credit report.

“Many know the frustration when debt is sent to collections, especially when the bill isn’t ours to pay,” said Rep. Johnson, in a statement

. “IHS often falls short in its obligation to pay medical bills from Purchased/Referred Care in a timely manner and Native Americans are often forced to pay the bills they don’t owe, or else risk taking substantial hits to their credit, hindering their ability to get a loan, buy a home, and more. My bills seek to rectify this unfair negligence by IHS.”