Colorado § 6-20-201 - Definitions.

§ 6-20-201. Definitions.

As used in this part 2, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Collection activity" means only those activities provided or performed by a licensed collection agency, using a business name other than the name of the health-care provider, for purposes of collecting a medical debt. The term does not include any standard billing procedures used by the health-care provider or its agent in the normal course of business on current, nondelinquent accounts.

(2) "Collection agency" shall have the same meaning as in section 5-16-103 (3).

(3) "Health-care provider" includes a health-care facility licensed pursuant to article 3 of title 25, C.R.S., and any other health-care provider.

(4) "Hospital services" means health-care services, as defined in section 10-16-102 (33), provided by a health-care facility, as defined in section 25.5-3-501 (1), or a licensed health-care professional, as defined in section 25.5-3-501 (3).

(5) "Impermissible extraordinary collection action" means initiating foreclosure on an individual's primary residence or homestead, including a mobile home, as defined in section 38-12-201.5 (5).

(6) "Medical creditor" means an entity that attempts to collect on a medical debt, including:

(a) A health-care provider or health-care provider's billing office;

(b) A collection agency, as defined in section 5-16-103 (3);

(c) A debt buyer, as defined in section 5-16-103 (8.5); and

(d) A debt collector, as defined in 15 U.S.C. sec. 1692a (6).

(7) "Permissible extraordinary collection action" means an action other than an impermissible extraordinary collection action that requires a legal or judicial process, including but not limited to placing a lien on an individual's real property, attaching or seizing an individual's bank account or any other personal property, or garnishing an individual's wages. A permissible extraordinary collection action does not include the assertion of a hospital lien pursuant to section 38-27-101.

Source: L. 2004: Entire part added, p. 458, § 1, effective August 4. L. 2005: Entire section amended, p. 124, § 1, effective August 8. L. 2017: (2) amended, (HB 17-1238), ch. 260, p. 1171, § 12, effective August 9. L. 2021: (4), (5), (6), and (7) added, (HB 21-1198), ch. 435, p. 2881, § 3, effective September 7. L. 2026: IP and (1) amended, (SB 26-138), ch. 308, p. 1773, § 13, effective August 12.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in SB 26-138, see section 1 of chapter 308, Session Laws of Colorado 2026.