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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

reporting form adopted by the department.

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

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

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

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

its website.

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

any person upon request.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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