# Maryland — Medical Debt Interest Caps and Collection Restrictions by State 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, not quoted from the source)_ - **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: appears in its own passage below)_ - **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: appears in its own passage below)_ - **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: appears in its own passage below)_ - **statute citation:** Md. Code, Health-General § 19–214.2(b)(6), (f)(2), (f)(4) _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_ ## 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. ## 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 > (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. ### 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; ## Source - https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=ghg§ion=19-214.2&enactments=false Last verified: 2026-08-31. Review by: 2027-02-27. Part of [Medical Debt Interest Caps and Collection Restrictions by State](https://referencesource.org/medical-debt-collection-protections-by-state/).