New Florida law seeks to prevent big hospital billing surprises
Image from Shutterstock.
Florida has reportedly become the second state in the country, after New York, to respond to the issue of big surprise hospital bills with patient-oriented legislation.
Last week Gov. Rick Scott signed into law a bipartisan bill (PDF). It says insured patients with preferred-provider plans don’t have to pay out-of-network providers and unauthorized doctors for charges that were never disclosed in advance or agreed to, according to Modern Healthcare and the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
The new law also applies to some non-hospital medical providers. However, air ambulances and other emergency transport services are excluded.
Legislation to prevent surprise hospital bills for undisclosed costs is being considered in California, and insurance regulators and lawmakers in Georgia, Hawaii, Missouri, New Jersey and Pennsylvania are pondering possible legislation, Modern Healthcare says.
The articles don’t give specific examples of surprise bills. However, a New York Times article published in 2014 cited a patient who got hit with an unexpected $117,000 bill for an assisting physician, in a neck-surgery operation for which the primary doctor agreed to charge $6,200.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “New York Times article on hidden hospital costs sparks calls for change, suggestions for consumers”
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “Little-known hospital billing practice can nix Medicare coverage of later nursing-home stay”
