HB2427
Hospital price transparency; private right of action, patient payment disputes.
Summary
As Introduced. Hospital price transparency; private right of action; patient payment disputes; noncompliance; prohibition of debt collection.
Allows patients to bring an action against a hospital that is not in material compliance with hospital price transparency laws. Under the bill, if a hospital is not in material compliance with hospital price transparency laws on the date that an elective procedure, test, or service is provided to a ... (More) patient by the hospital, the patient may bring an action, individually or jointly, against the hospital to recover payment of the price of the elective procedure, test, or service. Under the bill, a hospital that is not in material compliance with hospital price transparency laws on the date that an elective procedure, test, or service is provided to a patient is liable for the price of the elective procedure, test, or service provided and an additional equal amount as liquidated damages; interest accruing from the date the elective procedure, test, or service was provided; and reasonable attorney fees and costs. The bill requires the court, if it finds that the hospital knowingly was not in material compliance with hospital price transparency laws, to award the patient an amount up to triple the amount of the price of the elective procedure, test, or service and reasonable attorney fees and costs. Under the bill, beginning July 1, 2023, whenever a dispute arises between a hospital and a patient over a patient payment amount, the hospital's list of standard charges for all items and services shall be used to determine the correct payment amount and reasonableness of the payment. The bill also prohibits a hospital, defined in the bill, or other person or entity collecting on behalf of the hospital, from initiating or pursuing collection actions against a patient or patient guarantor for debt incurred by the patient on the date or dates of service when the hospital was not in material compliance with federal hospital price transparency laws. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/18/2023 - House: Presented and ordered printed 23104427D
- 01/18/2023 - House: Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
- 01/26/2023 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendments (5-Y 4-N)
- 01/30/2023 - House: Impact statement from DPB (HB2427)
- 01/31/2023 - House: Assigned HWI sub: Subcommittee #3
- 02/02/2023 - House: House subcommittee amendments and substitutes offered
- 02/02/2023 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (3-Y 2-N)
- 02/02/2023 - House: Reported from Health, Welfare and Institutions with substitute (10-Y 9-N)
- 02/02/2023 - House: Committee substitute printed 23106139D-H1
- 02/05/2023 - House: Read first time
- 02/06/2023 - House: House committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
- 02/06/2023 - House: Read second time
- 02/06/2023 - House: Committee substitute agreed to 23106139D-H1
- 02/06/2023 - House: Amendment by Delegate Freitas agreed to
- 02/06/2023 - House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute with amendment HB2427EH1
- 02/06/2023 - House: Printed as engrossed 23106139D-EH1
- 02/07/2023 - House: Read third time and defeated by House (40-Y 54-N 1-A )
- 02/07/2023 - House: VOTE: DEFEATED (40-Y 54-N 1-A) Close Floor Vote
- 02/07/2023 - House: Reconsideration of defeated action agreed to by House
- 02/07/2023 - House: Motion to rerefer to committee agreed to
- 02/07/2023 - House: Rereferred to Health, Welfare and Institutions
- 02/07/2023 - House: Left in Health, Welfare and Institutions
