Maryland
For Maryland, wage garnishment restriction is A hospital may not request a writ of garnishment of wages or file an action that would result in an attachment of wages against a patient to collect debt owed on a hospital bill if the patient is eligible for free or reduced–cost care under § 19–214.1 of this subtitle; property lien restriction is A hospital may not request a lien against a patient’s primary residence in an action to collect debt owed on a hospital bill; collection delay or suit restriction is Prohibit the hospital from filing a civil action to collect a debt against a patient whose outstanding debt is at or below $500; statute citation is Md. Code, Health-General § 19–214.2(b)(6), (f)(2), (f)(4), recorded from its source on 2026-08-31.
- jurisdiction
- Maryland our reading
- wage garnishment restriction
- A hospital may not request a writ of garnishment of wages or file an action that would result in an attachment of wages against a patient to collect debt owed on a hospital bill if the patient is eligible for free or reduced–cost care under § 19–214.1 of this subtitle. verified
- property lien restriction
- A hospital may not request a lien against a patient’s primary residence in an action to collect debt owed on a hospital bill. verified
- collection delay or suit restriction
- Prohibit the hospital from filing a civil action to collect a debt against a patient whose outstanding debt is at or below $500 verified
- statute citation
- Md. Code, Health-General § 19–214.2(b)(6), (f)(2), (f)(4) our reading
Values marked our reading are our classification of what the source says — the source does not print them in those words. The quote below is the evidence for each one; judge it yourself.
What the source says
(f) (1) A hospital may not force the sale or foreclosure of a patient’s primary residence to collect a debt owed on a hospital bill. (2) A hospital may not request a lien against a patient’s primary residence in an action to collect debt owed on a hospital bill. (3) (i) A hospital may not give notice to a patient under subsection (h) of this section until after 240 days after the initial bill was provided. (ii) If a hospital files an action to collect the debt owed on a hospital bill, the hospital may not request the issuance of or otherwise knowingly take action that would cause a court to issue: 1. A body attachment against a patient; or 2. An arrest warrant against a patient. (4) A hospital may not request a writ of garnishment of wages or file an action that would result in an attachment of wages against a patient to collect debt owed on a hospital bill if the patient is eligible for free or reduced–cost care under § 19–214.1 of this subtitle.
— mgaleg.maryland.gov, retrieved 2026-08-31
Where each value comes from
This source states these in separate places, so each value is shown with the passage that states it.
wage garnishment restriction and property lien restriction
(f) (1) A hospital may not force the sale or foreclosure of a patient’s primary residence to collect a debt owed on a hospital bill. (2) A hospital may not request a lien against a patient’s primary residence in an action to collect debt owed on a hospital bill. (3) (i) A hospital may not give notice to a patient under subsection (h) of this section until after 240 days after the initial bill was provided. (ii) If a hospital files an action to collect the debt owed on a hospital bill, the hospital may not request the issuance of or otherwise knowingly take action that would cause a court to issue: 1. A body attachment against a patient; or 2. An arrest warrant against a patient. (4) A hospital may not request a writ of garnishment of wages or file an action that would result in an attachment of wages against a patient to collect debt owed on a hospital bill if the patient is eligible for free or reduced–cost care under § 19–214.1 of this subtitle.
collection delay or suit restriction
(6) Prohibit the hospital from filing a civil action to collect a debt against a patient whose outstanding debt is at or below $500;
— all from mgaleg.maryland.gov, retrieved 2026-08-31
Source
- mgaleg.maryland.govhttps://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=ghg§ion=19-214.2&enactments=false