Health care: fair billing policies.

Existing law requires a hospital, as defined, to maintain an understandable written policy regarding discount payments for financially qualified patients as well as a written charity care policy, and requires a hospital to negotiate the terms of a discount payment plan with an eligible patient, as specified. Existing law requires each hospital to provide patients with written notice about the availability of the hospital's discount payment and charity care policies, including information about eligibility and contact information for a hospital employee or office from which the patient may obtain further information about the policies. This bill would additionally require the written patient notice to include the internet address of a specified health consumer assistance entity and information regarding Covered California and Medi-Cal presumptive eligibility. The bill also would require the written patient notice to include the internet address for the hospital's list of shoppable services, pursuant to a specified federal regulation. The bill would require the notice to be provided at the time of service if the patient is conscious and able to receive written notice at that time, or at other designated times, as appropriate. Existing law requires a hospital to post notice of its policy for financially qualified and self-pay patients in designated locations that are visible to the public, including outpatient settings. This bill would specify that "outpatient settings" includes observation units for this purpose. Existing law generally requires a hospital, upon the request of a person without health coverage, to provide a written estimate of the amount the hospital will require a person without health coverage to pay for the health care services, procedures, and supplies that are reasonably expected to be provided to the person, as specified. Existing law also requires the hospital to provide the person with an application form for financial assistance or charity care, if the person requests the form. This bill would require the hospital to automatically provide the person with an estimate and an application form for financial assistance or charity care, without need for a specific request. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 127410 of the Health and Safety Code proposed by AB 1020 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1020 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.