House Bill No. by Representative Freeman introduces the "Patient Overpayment Refund Act," which aims to ensure timely reimbursement of overpaid medical bills to patients by healthcare providers. The bill mandates that healthcare providers issue refunds for any overpayments within 90 days after the overpayment is identified and verified. It also requires providers to notify patients in writing or electronically when a refund is issued and to maintain records of all identified overpayments and refunds for a minimum of three years.

Additionally, the bill imposes a fine of $500 or the amount of the overpayment, whichever is greater, on healthcare providers who fail to issue refunds within the specified timeframe. Patients are granted the right to file complaints with the Louisiana Department of Health if their providers violate these provisions. The bill allows for overpayments to be applied as credits toward outstanding balances with the patient's consent and includes definitions for key terms such as "healthcare provider," "overpayment," and "patient."