Medical Debt Collection in Washington

Midwest Service Bureau specializes in ethical Hospital debt collection for Washington state providers. We deliver compliant solutions that increase revenue while upholding your facility's commitment to patient care.

Medical Debt Collection Expert

Professional Collection Agency Washington

Debt recovery requires careful navigation: providers must wait 120 days before assigning accounts, cap post-judgment interest at 9 %, and verify patient eligibility for the state’s expanded charity-care programs. Surprise-billing disputes and strict credit-reporting holds make timely, compliant recovery essential. Midwest Service Bureau (MSB) provides a Washington medical debt collection workflow that transforms self-pay balances into reliable revenue without raising regulatory flags. With 55 years of healthcare collections experience and live analytics via our Expert Analysis portal, we help Evergreen State providers recover funds faster while staying fully compliant.

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MSB integrates seamlessly with Epic, Cerner, and Meditech Self-Pay Recovery. From first account review to final payment posting, every medical bill collection step adheres to HIPAA security standards, FDCPA rules, and RCW 19.16 licensing requirements.

Our Proven Medical Bill Collection Process

Phase 1: Account Review & Validation

  • Import receivables from Epic, Cerner, or Meditech and scrub for payer denials, duplicate claims, charity-care eligibility, and time-barred balances.
  • Check for outstanding surprise-billing disputes and ensure accounts comply with HB 1531 and Washington statutes before advancing.
  • Validate each file against state-specific charity-care obligations and credit-reporting holds.

Phase 2: Patient Contact & Communication

Initial notices are sent within 24 hours and include bilingual charity-care summaries. Omnichannel outreach — voice, SMS, email, and secure portals — respects Washington’s 8 a.m.–9 p.m. contact window and RCW 19.16 rules. Patients can self-manage payments through our Early-Out Patient Collections portal, establishing zero-interest plans in minutes.

Phase 3: Resolution & Payment Processing

Settlements, HSA draws, and payment-plan drafts post instantly to your PMS. Real-time dashboards track performance, and all receipts comply with HB 1531 disclosure requirements and the 9 % statutory-interest cap, closing a fully compliant debt recovery loop. 

Turning Debt Challenges into Recovery Opportunities
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Types of Medical Debt We Collect

Hospital & Health-System Debt

Physician-Practice Collections

Specialty-Healthcare Debt

Why Choose MSB For Medical Debt Recovery

Compliance, Security & Professional Standards

State-Specific Regulations

Washington medical debt collection requires compliance with RCW 19.16 licensing, HB 1531 timing and interest rules, and the Consumer Protection Act (RCW 19.86).

  • Written contracts: six-year statute of limitations (RCW 4.16.040).
  • Open or oral accounts: three-year limitation (RCW 4.16.080).
  • Hospitals must wait 120 days before assigning accounts and 180 days before reporting to credit bureaus.
  • Charity-care: free or discounted care for patients ≤ 400 % FPL before extraordinary collection actions (HB 1616, 2022).
  • Balance-Billing disputes remain out of collections until arbitration concludes (RCW 48.49).
  • Hospital price-transparency compliance is required for legal collections (RCW 70.41.470).
  • Post-judgment interest capped at 9 %.

HIPAA Compliance

All PHI is encrypted in transit and at rest, with role-based access and immutable audit logs. Communications include only the patient’s name, provider, service date, and balance.

FDCPA Compliance

All outreach adheres to federal fair debt collection standards — no harassment, no prohibited hours, and accurate reporting. MSB’s speech analytics reviews flagged interactions within 24 hours to ensure compliance.

Our Track Record

Average recovery rate
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Day Average
0
Accounts
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Resolution
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Our Track Record

93%

Average recovery rate

34

Day Average

4,812

Accounts

93%

Resolution

What Our Client Say

Discover the experiences of our satisfied clients. Hear firsthand Midwest Service Bureau Reviews on how MSB has delivered reliable, results-driven solutions that make a real difference.

Center for Same Day Surgery
Midwest Service Bureau is a company that truly looks out for the greater good of their client. They want to see their clients thrive, even if that means they do not make a profit. Any time I have ever had a question I call Midwest and they have the answer. Any time I have needed advice they have been there for me and have guided me through the process. Their customer service is outstanding and their work ethic is even better! I couldn’t imagine a time when I wouldn’t need them.
Advanced/Preferred Physical Therapy
The team at Midwest Service Bureau has earned our trust for over 10 years based on their service, results, performance, and rates and that’s why they will continue to receive all our collection business. They deliver excellent customer service with quick responses, unlimited willingness to lend their assistance, ethical work values, and even training seminars that provide us with other processes and tools to reduce our collections activity. On top of that, I enjoy the relationships I have made with the people of MSB over the years. I have no reservation in recommending Midwest Service Bureau to others.
Earnest Heat & Air, Inc.
We have been doing business with Midwest Service Bureau for a while now. They have an extremely high recovery rate. They are always right on top of things, and get the job done. We have other credit services calling us but, we always tell them that we are happy with who we are using. We would highly recommend them to anyone.
Inspire ENT & Pulmonology
Our office has had a great experience with Midwest Service Bureau. The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable, always available to answer questions. Our representative comes into our office once a month to check in and see how things are going for us. If we have any questions or issues they take the time to get them resolved. Midwest also offers training for the staff. We did take advantage of this opportunity and it was very helpful to the staff members that had no previous experience with collections. Through the training, the front office staff learned what information they should be gathering and the importance of it. I would highly recommend Midwest Service Bureau if you are looking for a collection agency.
Debbie P. Collection Manager
I have been employed with Sunflower Bank for over 20 years as the collection manager, and during that time have dealt with Midwest Service Bureau, LLC regarding collection accounts to include credit cards, loans, and deposit accounts. I have also dealt with them prior to coming to Sunflower Bank when I worked for GMAC out of Wichita, KS for roughly ten years. Micki Kell who is the President of this organization and her staff have provided wonderful customer service the entire time. A representative from the organization always contacted us in person once a month, and the face-to-face contact was always greatly appreciated. Their staff was always available to answer any questions or address any concerns we had. Their software program was very user friendly and make it an easy way to communicate regarding accounts. I would definitely recommend this organization if you are looking for a company to handle your collection accounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does MSB comply with Washington state collection laws?

Yes, MSB strictly adheres to all Washington state regulations, including RCW 19.16, and ensures full compliance with both federal and state debt collection statutes.

We use a compassionate, patient-centered approach that maintains HIPAA compliance and protects patient dignity while still achieving strong recovery results.

Yes. We maintain complete transparency and follow the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and Washington-specific debt collection requirements.

MSB provides a proven, compliant, and client-centered approach with industry expertise, strong recovery rates, respectful engagement, and tailored strategies for Washington-based clients.

Contact Our Debt Collection Team

Phone: 316-263-1051
Address: 625 W. Maple St., Wichita, KS 67213

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Washington medical debt collection today means threading a needle: providers must wait 120 days before assigning accounts, cap post-judgment interest at 9 %, and screen patients for the state’s newly expanded charity-care program—all while surprise-billing disputes and a strict credit-reporting hold slow recoveries. Midwest Service Bureau (MSB) delivers a Washington medical debt collection workflow that turns self-pay balances into predictable revenue without drawing the ire of the Attorney General. With 55 years of healthcare focus and real-time analytics in our Expert Analysis portal, we help Evergreen-State providers collect faster and compliantly.

Washington Medical Debt Collection Laws

State-Specific Regulations

  • Statute of limitations: Six years on written contracts (RCW 4.16.040) and three years on open-account or oral debts (RCW 4.16.080). A partial payment or a new written promise restarts the six-year clock.
  • HB 1531 (2019):
    • Hospitals must wait 120 days from the first post-service bill before assigning or selling medical debt.
    • Post-judgment interest on medical debt is capped at 9 % (vs. 12 % default).
    • Agencies must wait 180 days before furnishing medical debt to credit bureaus.
  • Charity-Care Expansion (HB 1616, 2022): Non-profit hospitals must provide free or discounted care to patients ≤ 400 % FPL and exhaust screening before “extraordinary” Washington medical debt collection actions.
  • Balance Billing Protection Act (RCW 48.49): Out-of-network balances under dispute stay out of collections until payer–provider arbitration ends.
  • Hospital Price-Transparency Tie-In (RCW 70.41.470): Non-compliant facilities cannot pursue legal collection remedies on undisclosed service prices.

HIPAA & Breach-Notification

MSB encrypts all PHI in transit and at rest, enforces role-based access, and mirrors Washington’s 30-day breach-notice deadline (RCW 19.255.010). Immutable audit logs live inside our HIPAA + FDCPA compliance hub.

Licensing, RCW 19.16, and Consumer Protection

The Washington Collection Agency Act (RCW 19.16) requires agencies to hold a state license and a $10 000–$50 000 surety bond. Violations double as unfair acts under the Consumer Protection Act (RCW 19.86). MSB renews its license yearly, maintains bonding, and trains every collector on RCW 19.16 and HB 1531—so every Washington medical debt collection call is courteous and lawful.

Credit-reporting note: Washington’s 180-day hold remains in force; the CFPB’s nationwide tradeline ban (finalized 2025) is still pending. MSB suppresses reporting on request.

Our Washington Medical Debt Collection Process

Phase 1 – Account Review & Validation

We ingest receivables from Epic, Cerner, or Meditech Self-Pay Recovery and scrub each file for payer denials, duplicate claims, charity-care eligibility, surprise-billing holds, and time-barred balances, ensuring only compliant Washington medical debt collection accounts move forward.

Phase 2 – Patient Contact & Communication

First notices mail within 24 hours and include bilingual charity-care summaries. Voice, SMS, email, and portal outreach respect Washington’s 8 a.m.–9 p.m. window, 180-day credit-report hold notice, and RCW 19.16 scripting rules. Patients can self-serve through our Early-Out Patient Collections portal, setting up zero-interest plans in minutes.

Phase 3 – Resolution & Payment Processing

Settlements, HSA draws, and payment-plan drafts post instantly to your PMS; real-time APIs feed finance dashboards. All receipts satisfy HB 1531 disclosure standards, closing the loop on fully compliant Washington medical debt collection.

Types of Medical Debt We Collect

Hospital & Health-System Debt

  • Emergency-department visits
  • Inpatient & outpatient surgeries
  • Diagnostic imaging & lab services
  • Surgical implants & supplies

Physician-Practice Collections

  • Primary-care visits
  • Specialist consults & office procedures
  • Ancillary lab/imaging referrals

Specialty Healthcare Debt

Benefits for Washington Healthcare Providers

Improved Cash Flow

Clients using our Washington medical debt collection workflow cut AR days by 30 %, freeing capital for staffing and tech upgrades.

Compliance Assurance

HIPAA encryption, state-licensed agents, 9 % interest-cap workflows, and charity-care screening keep you clear of AG scrutiny and media backlash.

Patient Relationship Preservation

Empathy-first scripting, transparent billing, and flexible payment options keep Net Promoter Scores high, even during tough Washington medical debt collection conversations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the statute of limitations for medical debt in Washington?

Six years for written contracts (three for open accounts). A partial payment or a new written promise restarts the six-year clock.

Can medical debt affect my credit score in Washington?

Only after 180 days, MSB can suppress reporting on request. A federal tradeline ban may eliminate reporting entirely (effective date pending).

How does medical debt collection differ from other debt?

Washington medical debt collection must comply with HIPAA, RCW 19.16 licensing, HB 1531 interest & timing rules, surprise-billing holds, charity-care screening, and the six-year statute, stricter than standard consumer debt.

What should I do if I receive a medical debt collection notice?

Review the itemized bill, compare charges with your Explanation of Benefits, and contact MSB within 30 days to dispute or arrange a plan.

Contact Us

Ready to strengthen your revenue cycle? Reach our nationwide MSB headquarters, serving Washington providers daily.

Phone: 316-263-1051
Address: 625 W. Maple St., Wichita, KS 67213