DeLaRosa Bill Protecting Patient Homes from Hospital Legal Action Sent to Governor

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Working to protect homeowners from medical debt, state Rep. Margaret DeLaRosa, D-Lombard, is advancing a bill to the governor’s desk for consideration that ensures patients’ primary residence and property cannot be used in legal action by hospitals seeking to recover unpaid medical debt.

“Having any kind of medical debt is already a very stressful burden. The consequence of that burden should never be the loss of your home,” said DeLaRosa. “These liens placed on a patient’s home add to the anxiety of the situation; not only do you owe money to the hospital, but now you have lost control of your own property.”

Medical debt remains one of the leading causes of bankruptcy nationwide, according to the National Library of Medicine, with nearly half of U.S. adults finding it difficult to afford healthcare. DeLaRosa co-sponsored House Bill 4461, taking an important step to protect patient homes and property by changing the law to disqualify any Illinois hospital from pursuing liens on a patient’s primary residence during legal action should a patient have accrued medical debt. 

The initiative is driven by local resident reports of aggressive collection actions, including liens being placed on homes for medical debts as low as $2,000. 

“Not being able to pay medical bills is all too common. With this bill, we’re protecting patients, their families, and their property from facing extreme consequences for medical debt,” said DeLaRosa. 

House Bill 4461 passed out of both chambers and awaits the governor’s signature.