The White House is taking steps to relieve Americans' medical debt burden, including having HHS evaluate provider billing practices and their effects on healthcare affordability and medical debt accumulation.
HHS will ask more than 2,000 providers for data on medical bill collection practices, lawsuits against patients, financial assistance, financial product offerings and third-party contracting or debt-buying practices, according to an April 11 White House news release.
HHS will use this information for grant-making decisions and to publish data and policy recommendations.
The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will inspect credit reporting companies and debt collectors that take advantage of patients' and families' rights.
In addition to holding providers and collectors accountable, the White House is working to improve underwriting practices, helping veterans with medical debt and improving consumer education tools.
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