(1) No health care provider or health care facility may sell or assign medical debt to any person licensed under chapter 19.16 RCW until at least one hundred twenty days after the initial billing statement for that medical debt has been transmitted to the patient or other responsible party.

(2) For the purposes of this section:

(a) "Health care facility" has the same meaning as provided in RCW 70.02.010.

(b) "Health care provider" has the same meaning as provided in RCW 70.02.010.

(c) "Medical debt" has the same meaning as provided in RCW 19.16.100.