Michigan Senate Approves Lindsey's Medical Debt Relief Bills

Legislation seeks to limit aggressive debt collection practices and improve hospital financial assistance programs

Mar. 13, 2026 at 6:00am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Michigan Senate has approved a package of five bills sponsored by Republican state Senator Jonathan Lindsey and Democratic state Senator Sarah Anthony that aim to ease the burden of medical debt faced by many state residents. The bills would place new limits on how medical debt can be collected, require hospitals to provide more financial assistance to patients, and cap interest rates on medical debt at 3%.

Why it matters

Medical debt is a major financial burden for many Americans, with studies showing it is a leading cause of personal bankruptcy. The proposed legislation in Michigan seeks to provide relief to residents struggling with medical debt by restricting aggressive debt collection tactics and improving access to hospital financial assistance programs.

The details

The bills would restrict practices like placing liens on property, garnishing wages, or foreclosing homes to recover unpaid medical bills. They would also require hospitals to create financial assistance programs to improve options for those hit with debt. Additionally, the measures would cap interest rates that can be applied to medical debt at 3%.

  • The Michigan Senate approved the bills on March 12, 2026.
  • The legislation now heads to the state House for further consideration.

The players

Jonathan Lindsey

Republican state Senator representing Cass County and part of Berrien County, Michigan, who sponsored the medical debt relief bills.

Sarah Anthony

Democratic state Senator who co-sponsored the medical debt relief bills with Lindsey.

Gretchen Whitmer

Governor of Michigan, who called for medical debt reforms in her State of the State address, though the bills passed by the Senate do not go as far as the reforms she proposed.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It's not a heavy-handed approach that suggests anything like getting rid of a medical debt or saying that we couldn't have this. I don't think that would work. But instead what it does is try to put some guardrails around it to make sure that it's not resold in certain ways that end up with people being on this treadmill of never being able to pay their medical debt off.”

— Jonathan Lindsey, State Senator

“There are already some House members who have commented on this and think that maybe there should be other solutions, that might not even be the right number. I will say that I think it should be addressed in some fashion.”

— Jonathan Lindsey, State Senator

What’s next

The medical debt relief bills now head to the Michigan state House for further consideration and potential amendments before final passage.

The takeaway

This bipartisan legislation in Michigan represents an important step in addressing the growing burden of medical debt, which has become a major financial hardship for many Americans. By restricting aggressive debt collection tactics and improving access to hospital financial assistance, the bills aim to provide relief to residents struggling with medical debt.