2014 -- S 2222

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LC003156

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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: Senators Miller, Ruggerio, Sosnowski, DaPonte, and Picard

     Date Introduced: January 30, 2014

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

     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 its average charges for those procedures, in a uniform reporting

form adopted by the department.

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

inpatient procedures in Rhode Island hospitals, as grouped by a Medicare diagnostic-related

group. The department of health shall annually develop a list of each hospital's 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 an insurance deductible of five thousand dollars ($5,000) or

higher, a hospital shall provide that person with a written estimate 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 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 average

charges for 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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LC003156

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