On June 23, the Oregon Legislature chaptered SB 605, enacting new restrictions on the reporting of medical debt to consumer reporting agencies. The law prohibits any person from reporting to a consumer reporting agency the amount or existence of any medical debt that a resident of Oregon owes. The statute defines “medical debt” to include any amount an Oregonian owes to a person who provides medical services or owes on a credit card that individuals incurred for medical treatment. The law further provides that, in an action for violation, a court may declare the medical debt void and uncollectible, in addition to any other relief. Consumer reporting agencies may not include in a consumer report any item that they know or reasonably should know is medical debt, and violations would be an unlawful practice under Oregon law.
The act goes into effect January 1, 2026.
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