HB 1276

Health care providers; required estimate for nonemergency health care services. Requires health care providers to provide a good faith estimate of the payment amount for which the patient will be responsible for such nonemergency health care service, including any fees or other charges for an item or service the patient may receive in connection with the nonemergency health care service. Under current law, only hospitals are required to provide an advance estimate of a patient's costs. The bill requires the good faith estimate to include (i) description of the scheduled nonemergency health care service, (ii) the provider's standard charge for the service and any related item or service, (iii) any contracted rates with the patient's health carrier that is known at the time the estimate is prepared, (iv) a statement that the estimate is not binding and the actual amount billed may differ depending on changes in the scope of services or the health carrier's processing of the claim, and (v) if reasonably ascertainable through the patient's health carrier, a statement whether the covered person's deductible has been met, and if not, a good faith estimate of how unmet deductible status may affect the patient's cost.