The proposed "Hospital Price Transparency Act" mandates that hospitals provide clear pricing information for services and items they offer. Each hospital is required to publish a digital file in a machine-readable format that displays standard charges for their items or services, as well as a consumer-friendly list of at least 300 shoppable services or an internet-based price estimator tool. The act also establishes that hospitals must comply with these transparency requirements or face penalties, including the inability to pursue collection actions against patients for debts incurred during noncompliance.

Additionally, the act provides consumers with an affirmative defense against collection actions if they can demonstrate that the hospital was not compliant with the pricing transparency requirements at the time the service was provided. Hospitals are also required to furnish patients with an itemized statement of the debt owed, including billing codes, and information about language assistance services. Furthermore, a violation of the Hospital Price Transparency Act is classified as an unfair or deceptive trade practice under the Unfair Practices Act, thereby enhancing consumer protection in healthcare billing practices.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 57-12-2