2014 -- H 8349

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LC005957

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- HOSPITAL CHARGES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Naughton, McNamara, Shekarchi, E Coderre, and Diaz

     Date Introduced: June 17, 2014

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 23-17 of the General Laws entitled "Licensing of Health Care

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Facilities" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following sections:

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     23-17-60. Compilation and publication of the charges for common hospital

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procedures. -- (a) Each hospital, licensed under this chapter, shall compile a list of its twenty-

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five (25) most commonly performed outpatient procedures and shall submit annually to the

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department of health a list of the range of average charges for each procedure, in a uniform

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reporting form adopted by the department.

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     (b) The department shall establish a list of the twenty-five (25) most commonly

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performed inpatient procedures in Rhode Island hospitals, as organized by a Medicare diagnostic-

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related group. The department of health shall annually develop a list of each hospital's range of

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average charges for those procedures. The department shall publish this compiled information on

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its website.

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     (c) Each hospital shall provide a copy of the lists described in subsections (a) and (b) to

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any person upon request.

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     23-17-61. Written estimates for hospital medical services. -- Upon the request of any

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person without health coverage or with an insurance deductible of five thousand dollars ($5,000)

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or higher, a hospital shall provide that person with a written estimate based upon the best medical

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information known at the time, of the amount the hospital will require the person to pay for the

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health care services, procedures, and supplies that are reasonably expected to be provided to the

 

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person by the hospital, based upon an average length of stay and services provided for the

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person's diagnosis. The estimate may also indicate that it does not reflect any unanticipated

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services that become apparent at the time of treatment. The hospital may provide this estimate

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during normal business office hours. In addition to the estimate, the hospital shall provide

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information about its financial assistance and charity care policies and contact information for a

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hospital employee or office from which the person may obtain further information about these

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policies. If requested, the hospital shall also provide the person with an application for financial

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assistance or charity care. This section shall not apply to emergency services.

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     SECTION 2. Section 23-17-36 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-17 entitled "Licensing

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of Health Care Facilities" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     23-17-36. Rules and regulations. -- The director of the department of health is

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authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the intent of this chapter as well as

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establishing administrative penalties for violations of the provisions of ยงยง 23-17-60 and 23-17-61.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- HOSPITAL CHARGES

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     This act would require all Rhode Island hospitals to annually compile a list of the range

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of average charges for the twenty-five (25) most commonly performed outpatient and inpatient

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procedures and to submit these lists to the department of health. These lists would be made public

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by the department of health. It would also require a hospital, upon the request of a prospective

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patient with no health coverage, to provide that person with a written estimate of the amount the

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hospital will require that person to pay for those reasonably expected health care services,

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procedures and supplies. Finally, it would require he hospital to provide information about its

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financial assistance and charity care policies to its patients upon request.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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