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Rhode Island draws a new line on medical debt
Rhode Island rang in 2026 with a new law that puts real limits on what debt collectors can do when someone falls behind on medical bills.
Starting Jan. 1, collectors can no longer garnish wages, seize a person’s home, or report the debt to credit bureaus.
Gov. Dan McKee signed the legislation on June 26, 2025, after it passed with near-unanimous support in both chambers of the state legislature.
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Here is what the new law covers
The law, formally called the Medical Debt Protection Act, covers money owed for health care services, products, or devices to hospitals, clinics, and licensed providers…