HB1071:

Hospitals; debt collection, determination of patient eligibility for financial assistance.

Bill Summary:

Hospitals; financial assistance; payment plans. Requires hospitals to make reasonable efforts to screen every uninsured patient, defined in the bill, to determine whether the individual is eligible for medical assistance pursuant to the state plan for medical assistance or for financial assistance under the hospital's financial assistance policy and to inform every uninsured patient who receives services at the hospital and who is determined to be eligible for assistance under the hospital's financial assistance policy of the option to enter into a payment plan with the hospital. The bill also prohibits hospitals from engaging in extraordinary collection actions to recover a debt for medical services against any patient unless the hospital has made all reasonable efforts to determine whether the patient qualifies for medical assistance pursuant to the state plan for medical assistance or is eligible for financial assistance under the hospital's financial assistance policy and requires hospitals to annually report data and information regarding the amount of charity care, discounted care, and financial assistance provided under the hospital's financial assistance policy and the amount of uncollected bad debt. This bill is identical to SB 201.