Florida Senate - 2025 CS for CS for SB 656 By the Committees on Rules; and Health Policy; and Senator Rodriguez 595-03378-25 2025656c2 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to health care billing and collection 3 activities; amending s. 395.3011, F.S.; revising the 4 definition of the term extraordinary collection 5 action; authorizing licensed facilities to engage in 6 an extraordinary collection action under certain 7 circumstances; providing an effective date. 8 9 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 10 11 Section 1.Subsection (1) and paragraph (e) of subsection 12 (2) of section 395.3011, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 13 395.3011Billing and collection activities. 14 (1)As used in this section, the term extraordinary 15 collection action means any of the following actions taken by a 16 licensed facility against an individual in relation to obtaining 17 payment of a bill for care covered under the facilitys 18 financial assistance policy: 19 (a)Selling the individuals debt to another party. 20 (b)Reporting adverse information about the individual to 21 consumer credit reporting agencies or credit bureaus. 22 (c)Deferring, denying, or requiring a payment before 23 providing medically necessary care because of the individuals 24 nonpayment of one or more bills for previously provided care 25 covered under the facilitys financial assistance policy. 26 (d)Actions that require a legal or judicial process, 27 including, but not limited to: 28 1.Placing a lien on the individuals property; 29 2.Foreclosing on the individuals real property; 30 3.Attaching or seizing the individuals bank account or 31 any other personal property; 32 4.Commencing a civil action against the individual; 33 5.Causing the individuals arrest; or 34 6.Garnishing the individuals wages. 35 (2)A facility may not engage in an extraordinary 36 collection action against an individual to obtain payment for 37 services: 38 (e)For 30 days after notifying the patient in writing, by 39 certified mail, or by other traceable delivery method, that a 40 collection action will commence absent additional action by the 41 patient. However, a facility may engage in an extraordinary 42 collection action without providing 30 days notice if both of 43 the following conditions are met: 44 1.The facility contracts to sell an individuals debt to 45 another party, provided that the debt may not incur interest or 46 fees and that no other extraordinary collection actions are 47 taken by the purchaser of the debt which could otherwise be 48 taken by the licensed facility, as described in subsection (1). 49 2.If the debt is later determined to qualify for charity 50 care under the facilitys financial assistance policy, such debt 51 is returned to the licensed facility. 52 Section 2.This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.