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Medical Debt Relief with Increased Administrative Mandates Act

HB79 establishes a state-run Medical Debt Relief Program in Pennsylvania that uses public resources to purchase and cancel medical debt for low-income residents. It places new mandates on hospitals to create standardized financial assistance forms, assist patients in applying for aid, and align their policies with government health programs. The program also requires ongoing administrative oversight, including annual reports, and exempts forgiven debt from taxation, raising concerns about expanding government involvement in healthcare and long-term costs to taxpayers.1