Requirements for hospitals to screen patients for eligibility for health coverage or assistance established, affidavit of expert review required before debt collection activities, and hospital charges limited for uninsured treatments and services for patients.
Impact
In addition to the patient screening requirement, HF2599 puts strict limitations on hospital charges for uninsured patients. Specifically, hospitals cannot charge uninsured patients earning less than $125,000 annually more than what they would receive from their most favored insurer for the same services. This measure aims to alleviate the financial burden on lower-income patients seeking necessary medical treatments.
Summary
House Bill HF2599 establishes new requirements for hospitals regarding the screening of patients to determine their eligibility for health coverage and assistance. The bill mandates that hospitals screen uninsured patients for eligibility for charity care and for state or federal public health care programs within 30 days of service. Moreover, hospitals are required to assist patients in the application process if they qualify for charity care or other insurance programs.
Contention
A notable aspect of the bill is its emphasis on preventing hospitals from engaging in aggressive collection actions against patients who have applied for charity care. The bill stipulates that hospitals must complete an affidavit of expert review before referring debts to collection agencies, ensuring that they have thoroughly verified eligibility for assistance programs. Critics of this bill may argue about the economic implications for hospitals, particularly those that depend on revenue from patient collections.