; (D) physician staffing firms or physician services companies; (E) nursing home, skilled nursing and long-term care facilities; (F) any health care agent of an entity described in this paragraph; and (G) other entities as specified by the Secretary. (b) Requirements and prohibitions (1) Debt collection A health care entity, or its debt collector, shall not commence, or shall halt, an extraordinary collection action with respect to a patient if the entity or its designee is notified by any party that a health insurance appeal is pending. (2) Determination of eligibility for assistance A health care entity, or its debt collector, shall not commence any extraordinary collection actions with respect to a patient until the entity determines whether the patient qualifies for assistance, either through enrollment in a Federal or State program or through the entity’s charity care or financial assistance policy, with respect to such debt. The entity shall refer such patient to any such assistance where available. (3) Prohibition on extraordinary collection With respect to medical debt collection relating to a patient, a health care entity, or its debt collector, shall not take any extraordinary collection actions (including an action described in sections 1.501(r)–6(a)(2) of title 26, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this section)) until the expiration of the 180-day period beginning on the date on which the initial bill is sent to the patient, or a later date if applicable. (4) Providing information to patients A health care entity or its debt collector shall provide a patient with— (A) an easy-to-understand itemized statement of the medical debt owed by the patient to the health care entity prior to such entity, or the debt collector acting on behalf of the entity, commencing collection activities relating to such debt