What does Preamble of PATCH Act do?

This bill, formally titled 'To amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to prohibit the inclusion of medical debt on a consumer report, and for other purposes,' aims to modify the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

What does SHORT TITLE. of PATCH Act do?

This Act is formally titled the Protecting Americans from Treatment-related Credit Harm Act.

What does AMENDMENTS TO FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT. of PATCH Act do?

This section amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to define 'medical debt' as a debt arising from medical services, products, or devices. The FCRA is amended to exclude adverse information related to medical debt, including debts placed for collection or charged to profit or loss. Consumer reporting agencies are permitted to collect information described in the exclusion, preventing a restrictive interpretation. Technical and conforming amendments are made to section 604(g) of the FCRA to align with the changes regarding medical debt.

What does MODIFICATION OF REGULATIONS RELATING TO PROHIBITIONS ON USE OF of PATCH Act do?

This section modifies regulations related to prohibitions on the use of medical debt information. It defines 'credit' and 'creditor' according to section 702 of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. The Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection must amend section 1022.30 of title 12, Code of Federal Regulations, within one year of the Act's enactment. The amendment aims to prohibit creditors from using information about a consumer's medical debt when deciding whether to extend credit.

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PATCH Act

Last updated: 5/21/2026 · Introduced: 5/21/2026

Author: John Kennedy (R-LA)

TL;DR (AI)

The bill amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to exclude medical debt from consumer reports, preventing it from negatively impacting credit scores.
Creditors will be prohibited from using information about a consumer's medical debt when making credit decisions.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection is required to update regulations to align with the prohibition on using medical debt information in credit assessments.

119th Congressin committeeOfficial page

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Other Sections

Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 2 more.

4 sections

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