LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles City Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez is seeking Wednesday to bring the city in line with the county's new medical debt transparency ordinance.

Last year, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance to collect data on hospital debt collection and financial assistance policies. In part, the ordinance aims to better understand the financial challenges patients have related to medical care in the region.

Hernandez's motion introduced Tuesday would direct the City Attorney's Office to prepare an ordinance that would authorize the county's Department of Public Health to enforce that law within the city's jurisdiction. There would be no additional cost to the city, according to Hernandez's office.

The motion will be heard by the Arts, Parks, Libraries and Community Enrichment Committee for consideration before a vote by the City Council.

"Medical debt is a crisis that pushes too many working families into despair, often forcing them to choose between paying for health care and putting food on the table," Hernandez said in a statement.

The councilwoman said transparency around hospital debt collection can identify gaps, hold institutions accountable and improve the health care system.

County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer welcomed Hernandez's efforts to strengthen what she described as "charity care programs at hospitals" within city limits. She said the ordinance would be a "vital step in protecting sick people from financial harm when seeking medical care."

"By finding missed opportunities and ensuring more residents don't accrue medical debt, families are able to focus on their health and well-being rather than impossible choices," Ferrer said in a statement.

Currently, no public data exists on how hospitals collect medical debt or how many patients are denied financial aid, according to city officials.

The county's ordinance requires hospitals to report operational metrics, such as the number of applicants for financial aid, approval and denial rates, and reasons for applicants who are denied help.

County Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Janice Hahn, who are leading efforts to address medical debt, supported Hernandez's proposal.

"The city of L.A. joining the county in ensuring hospitals are consistently providing updates on patient medical debt and actions taken to help provide financial assistance helps extend a much-needed financial lifeline to more Angelenos," Mitchell said in a statement.

Hahn added, "Medical debt is holding too many LA County residents back, but we won't be able to fix this problem if we can't see the full picture."