Report Title:
Health Care; Pricing
Description:
Prohibits health care professionals from attempting to collect from the uninsured or medically needy patient more than the cost of providing services.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1836 |
TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Chapter 451D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§451D- Revocation, limitation, suspension, or denial of licenses for discriminatory pricing. (a) Subject to subsection (b), any license to practice under this chapter may be revoked, limited, or suspended by the board at any time in a proceeding before the board, or may be denied, upon a finding that the health care professional attempted to collect from an uninsured or medically needy patient more than the cost of providing services.
(b) No health care provider may initiate debt collection activities against a patient until a determination has been made as to whether the patient qualifies as an uninsured or medically needy patient.
(c) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
"Medically needy patient" means any person or household with total medical bills for medically necessary medical services that were not covered by any medical or health coverage that exceed twenty per cent of their income in the previous year and who:
(1) Have previously applied and been denied eligibility for any medical or health care coverage provided under the general assistance program or the medicaid program due to failure to satisfy income or other eligibility requirements; and
(2) Are not eligible for coverage for hospital services under the medicare or under any medicaid or health insurance program of any other nation, state, territory, or commonwealth, or under any other governmental or privately sponsored health or accident insurance or benefit program including, but not limited to, workers' compensation and awards, settlements, or judgments arising from claims, suits, or proceedings involving motor vehicle accidents or alleged negligence.
"Uninsured patient" means a person whose income is at or below three hundred per cent of the poverty income guidelines who:
(1) Has previously applied and been denied eligibility for any medical or health care coverage provided under the general assistance program or the medicaid program due to failure to satisfy income or other eligibility requirements; and
(2) Is not eligible for coverage for hospital services under the medicare or under any medicaid or health insurance program of any other nation, state, territory, or commonwealth, or under any other governmental or private health or accident insurance or benefit program including, but not limited to, workers' compensation and awards, settlements, or judgments arising from claims, suits, or proceedings involving motor vehicle accidents or alleged negligence."
SECTION 2. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRODUCED BY: |
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