H.B. No. 1612 introduces a new provision in the Health and Safety Code that mandates hospitals to accept direct payment from patients who are not enrolled in a health benefit plan for health care services. The bill defines key terms such as "enrollee," "health benefit plan," "health care service," and "hospital," establishing a framework for how these payments should be handled. Specifically, it requires that patients make their payment request within 60 days of receiving a bill, and hospitals must inform patients of this option in their billing statements.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that hospitals can charge patients amounts that do not exceed 25% above the generally billed amounts or 50% above the lowest contracted rate for services, excluding certain government programs like Medicaid and Medicare. It also clarifies that patients are still eligible for charity care they qualify for, regardless of their payment status. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

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