# Rhode Island — State limits on medical debt interest, garnishment and lawsuits

For Rhode Island, statute is R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-26-11; interest rate cap is Interest on medical debt shall be limited to the rate of interest equal to the weekly average one-year constant maturity Treasury yield, but not less than one and a half percent per annum (1.5% p.a.) nor more than four percent per annum (4% p.a.) as published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, for the calendar week preceding the date when the consumer was first provided with a bill; effective date is effective June 26, 2025; P.L. 2025, ch. 303, § 1, effective June 26, 2025; notes is The rate of interest provided in subsection (b) of this section shall only be applied to new debt incurred after June 26, 2025, verified against its source on 2026-08-31.

- **State:** Rhode Island _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Statute:** R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-26-11 _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Interest rate cap:** Interest on medical debt shall be limited to the rate of interest equal to the weekly average one-year constant maturity Treasury yield, but not less than one and a half percent per annum (1.5% p.a.) nor more than four percent per annum (4% p.a.) as published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, for the calendar week preceding the date when the consumer was first provided with a bill. _(verified: appears in its own passage below)_
- **Effective date:** effective June 26, 2025; P.L. 2025, ch. 303, § 1, effective June 26, 2025. _(verified: appears in its own passage below)_
- **Notes:** The rate of interest provided in subsection (b) of this section shall only be applied to new debt incurred after June 26, 2025. _(verified: appears in its own passage below)_

## What the source says

> R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-26-11 § 6-26-11. Medical debt interest cap. (a) For purposes of this section “medical debt” means an obligation of a consumer to pay an amount for the receipt of healthcare services as defined by § 27-81-3, products, or devices, owed to a healthcare facility or a healthcare professional as defined by § 27-81-3. (b) Interest on medical debt shall be limited to the rate of interest equal to the weekly average one-year constant maturity Treasury yield, but not less than one and a half percent per annum (1.5% p.a.) nor more than four percent per annum (4% p.a.) as published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, for the calendar week preceding the date when the consumer was first provided with a bill.

## Where each value comes from

This source states these in separate places, so each value is shown with the passage that states it.

### Interest rate cap

> Interest on medical debt shall be limited to the rate of interest equal to the weekly average one-year constant maturity Treasury yield, but not less than one and a half percent per annum (1.5% p.a.) nor more than four percent per annum (4% p.a.) as published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, for the calendar week preceding the date when the consumer was first provided with a bill.

### Effective date

> History of Section. P.L. 2025, ch. 302, § 1, effective June 26, 2025; P.L. 2025, ch. 303, § 1, effective June 26, 2025.

### Notes

> (c) The rate of interest provided in subsection (b) of this section shall only be applied to new debt incurred after June 26, 2025.

## Source

- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE6/6-26/6-26-11.htm

Last verified: 2026-08-31. Review by: 2026-12-29.
Part of [State limits on medical debt interest, garnishment and lawsuits](https://referencesource.org/medical-debt-collection-restrictions-by-state/).