Patients Debt Collection Protection Act

Starting July 1, 2021, New Mexico law protects low-income people from medical debt collection. The law is called the Patient’s Debt Collection Protection Act.

Debt collection can be selling the debt to a third party, and it can be filing a lawsuit against the patient. Debt collection also can be placing a lien on the patient’s property or garnishing wages. If you are low-income, medical providers cannot take certain debt collection actions against you. Low-income also is called “indigent.” Under New Mexico law, “indigent” means your household income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. You can ask your medical provider or the debt collector to decide if you are indigent. You can also check the federal income guidelines to see if you may qualify.

See the Debt Collection Notice below to learn more about your rights. You can fill out the “OSI Attestation of Indigency Form” to claim indigency.