Hospitals; prohibiting hospitals from taking certain collection action against patients. Effective date.

SB 519 prohibits Oklahoma hospitals from using debt collectors or reporting unpaid bills to credit bureaus for patients if the hospital failed to follow price transparency laws. This directly affects patients who owe money for hospital services provided while the hospital was not in compliance with public price disclosure rules. The law allows hospitals to continue billing patients normally but bans specific collection tactics like referring debts to third parties, suing, or reporting to credit agencies in these cases. It takes effect on November 1, 2025, and does not require hospitals to refund payments already made.