House Bill No. introduced by B. Mercer aims to improve pricing transparency for hospitals in Montana by requiring them to publicly disclose a comprehensive list of standard charges for all hospital items and services. This includes gross charges, deidentified minimum and maximum negotiated charges, and discounted cash prices, all of which must be made available in a machine-readable format on the hospital's website and updated at least annually. Additionally, hospitals are mandated to provide a consumer-friendly list of at least 300 shoppable services, detailing specific pricing for each service. The bill also establishes reporting requirements for hospitals to submit their pricing lists and facility fee data to the Department of Public Health and Human Services, ensuring adherence to these transparency standards.

The legislation further introduces provisions regulating hospital practices related to patient debt collection, deeming violations of the outlined requirements as unlawful practices. Noncompliant hospitals may face investigative actions and penalties, while individuals harmed by such violations are granted a private right of action to seek damages, provided they report the issue to the hospital and allow a 30-day period for resolution. Notably, hospitals are prohibited from initiating collection actions against patients for debts incurred while in violation of these requirements. If a hospital is found noncompliant, it must refund payments, dismiss related civil actions, and remove negative credit reports associated with the debt. The bill also empowers the Department of Justice to enforce compliance and requires annual reporting to the legislature on these efforts.