2014 -- S 2222 SUBSTITUTE A

========

LC003156/SUB A

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

____________

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:

1

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

2

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

3

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

4

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

5

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

6

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

7

reporting form adopted by the department.

8

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

9

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

10

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

11

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

12

its website.

13

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

14

any person upon request.

15

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

16

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

17

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

18

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

19

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

 

1

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

2

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

3

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

4

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

5

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

6

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

7

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

8

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

9

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

10

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

11

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

12

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

13

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

14

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC003156/SUB A

========

 

LC003156/SUB A - Page 2 of 2

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- HOSPITAL CHARGES

***

1

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

2

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

3

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

4

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

5

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

6

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

7

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

8

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

9

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC003156/SUB A

========

 

LC003156/SUB A - Page 3 of 2