A bill for an act relating to the disclosure of prices charged for certain health services rendered by health care providers and hospitals.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by John Wills

Bill HF 61 mandates healthcare providers and hospitals to disclose prices for common services, empowering consumers to make informed healthcare choices.

Introduced, referred to Health and Human Services.

#health #health-relatedfacilities #hospitals #prices

Summary of Bill HF 61

Bill Number: HF 61
Title: A bill for an act relating to the disclosure of prices charged for certain health services rendered by health care providers and hospitals.
Status: Introduced, referred to Health and Human Services
Introduced Date: January 15, 2025
Classification: Bill
Subject: Health, Health-related Facilities, Hospitals, Prices

Purpose and Intent

The primary purpose of Bill HF 61 is to enhance transparency in healthcare pricing by requiring health care providers and hospitals to disclose the prices they charge for specific health services. This initiative aims to empower consumers with information that can help them make informed decisions regarding their healthcare options.

Key Provisions

Price Disclosure Requirements:

Health Care Providers:
- Must disclose prices for the 25 most common services they provide.
- Prices should be made available in a single document, either electronically or on the provider's website.
- The disclosure must include prices prior to any discounts and assuming no medical complications.
- Services must be identified using a common nationally recognized coding system along with a plain language description.
- Price information must be updated at least annually.

Hospitals:

Required to disclose prices for the 75 most common inpatient and 75 most common outpatient services.
Similar to providers, hospitals must present this information in a single document, either electronically or on their website.
Prices must also be disclosed prior to any discounts and assuming no medical complications.
Services should be grouped by a Medicare diagnosis-related group.
Price information must be updated on a quarterly basis.

Disclaimer Requirement:

All disclosed price information must include a disclaimer as specified in the bill.

Regulatory Oversight:

The Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing is tasked with adopting rules to ensure that the requirements of this bill align with federal regulations regarding price disclosure.

Impact

Consumers: The bill is designed to benefit consumers by providing them with clearer information about healthcare costs, potentially leading to more informed choices and greater price competition among providers and hospitals.

Health Care Providers and Hospitals: These entities will need to implement systems to comply with the new disclosure requirements, which may involve administrative changes and costs associated with updating and maintaining price information.

Procedural Aspects

The bill was introduced on January 15, 2025, and has been referred to the Health and Human Services committee for further consideration. The timeline for further legislative action will depend on the committee's schedule and subsequent legislative processes.

This summary provides an overview of Bill HF 61, highlighting its intent, key provisions, potential impacts, and procedural status.