1. 1. A hospital shall not take any action described in subsection 2 with regard to any medical debt while the hospital is not in compliance with any provision of NRS 439B.2823, 439B.2825 or 439B.2827 or 45 C.F.R. § 180.40, 180.50 or 180.60.

2. 2. A hospital shall not, with regard to any medical debt described in subsection 1:

   1. (a) Refer the medical debt to a collection agency or other third party for collection;
   2. (b) File a civil action or seek arbitration or mediation to collect the medical debt; or
   3. (c) Directly or indirectly cause the reporting of the medical debt to a reporting agency.
3. 3. If a medical debtor believes that a hospital has taken an action described in subsection 2 in violation of subsection 1 with respect to a medical debt owed by the medical debtor, the medical debtor may file a claim with the Bureau of Consumer Protection in the Office of the Attorney General. A medical debtor who files such a claim shall immediately notify the hospital that he or she has filed the claim.
4. 4. Upon the filing of a claim pursuant to subsection 3, the Bureau of Consumer Protection shall investigate the claim. The hospital shall not take any action described in subsection 2 to collect the medical debt that is the subject of the investigation while the investigation is pending.
5. 5. If, at the conclusion of an investigation pursuant to subsection 4, the Bureau of Consumer Protection determines that the hospital has taken an action described in subsection 2 in violation of subsection 1, the hospital shall cancel the medical debt that is the subject of the investigation and any related medical debt and refund any amount of the medical debt or any related medical debt which has been paid by the medical debtor.
6. 6. A knowing violation of this section constitutes a deceptive trade practice for the purposes of NRS 598.0903 to 598.0999, inclusive.
7. 7. As used in this section, “reporting agency” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 598C.100.

(Added to NRS by 2025, 1652)