Medical Debt Collection Protections Targeted in New House Democratic CFPB Bill
Legislative Snapshot
Bill: H.R. 8777, the “Guidance Upholding Integrity through Defending Americans’ National Consumer Enforcement (GUIDANCE) Act of 2026”
Jurisdiction: U.S. House of Representatives
Sponsor: Rep. Maxine Waters, with related resolutions led by House Financial Services Committee Democrats, including Rep. Ayanna Pressley
Status: Introduced in the House of Representatives
Key Provisions: Would restore multiple CFPB advisory opinions, circulars, and guidance documents rescinded under Acting CFPB Director Russell Vought, including medical debt collection guidance
Industry Impact: Could revive stricter scrutiny of medical debt collection and consumer reporting practices for collectors, servicers, and healthcare providers
Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., introduced a Congressional Review Act resolution aimed at “restoring Consumer Financial Protection Bureau guidance addressing medical debt collection practices”, as House Financial Services Committee Democrats launched a broader legislative effort targeting recent CFPB rollbacks under the Trump administration.
Pressley’s resolution is part of H.R. 8777, the “Guidance Upholding Integrity through Defending Americans’ National Consumer Enforcement (GUIDANCE) Act of 2026,” introduced by Ranking Member Maxine Waters, D-Calif. The legislation seeks to reverse the withdrawal of 23 CFPB advisory opinions, circulars, and guidance documents rescinded earlier this month.
Among the targeted withdrawals is CFPB guidance tied to medical debt collection practices under Regulation F and related interpretations concerning the No Surprises Act.
Medical Debt Collection Guidance at Center of Debate
Pressley said the resolution is intended to restore protections against what she described as unfair and deceptive medical debt collection activity.
“Decades of policy failures have forced millions of families to take on significant debt just to survive, and predatory debt collectors have made record profits by using aggressive tactics to scare and exploit people,” Pressley said in a statement announcing the resolution.
The CFPB guidance at issue addressed how debt collectors and furnishers should handle medical debt collection and consumer reporting obligations, particularly in relation to protections established under the No Surprises Act. The guidance had warned against attempting to collect medical bills that consumers did not legally owe and cautioned against inaccurate credit reporting tied to disputed medical debt.
The Trump administration’s CFPB leadership under Acting Director Russell Vought rescinded numerous advisory materials in May 2026, arguing that some guidance documents exceeded the bureau’s statutory authority or created regulatory uncertainty for financial institutions and businesses.
The GUIDANCE Act would nullify those withdrawals and restore the previously issued CFPB materials.
Broader CFPB Rollback Fight Expands
The package extends well beyond medical debt collection guidance. The legislation would also restore CFPB interpretations and circulars involving credit reporting disputes, overdraft opt-in practices, debt collection after bankruptcy discharges, name-only matching procedures, unlawful contract terms, and active-duty servicemember protections.
Several of the rescinded items have been closely watched within the receivables management industry because they touched on debt collection disclosures, consumer reporting obligations, and unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices standards.
Pressley has previously supported legislation focused on debt collection reform. In 2019, she introduced the Ending Debt Collection Harassment Act, which sought to expand CFPB oversight of the debt collection industry. That legislation was later passed by the House in 2021.
The new resolution package arrives amid continued political disputes surrounding the CFPB’s regulatory direction, particularly following leadership changes under the Trump administration.
Why It Matters
For debt collectors, healthcare providers, furnishers, and compliance professionals, the legislation signals that congressional Democrats remain focused on restoring broader CFPB enforcement interpretations tied to medical debt and consumer protection.
If enacted, the measure could revive compliance expectations tied to medical debt collection activity, particularly surrounding validation, consumer reporting accuracy, disputed debts, and collection of potentially non-owed balances associated with insurance billing disputes or surprise medical charges.
The proposal also highlights how CFPB guidance documents, even when not formal regulations, continue to carry significant operational implications for the receivables management industry.
