Relative to uncollected co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles
If enacted, HB 1009 would lead to significant changes in the financial dynamics between healthcare providers and insurance carriers. Healthcare providers will have a more formalized process to recover some of their losses from unpaid patient obligations, which could improve their financial stability. Additionally, the bill mandates that providers document their collection efforts and submit annual reports regarding uncollectible debts to the division overseeing these regulations, thus creating more accountability within the healthcare billing process.
House Bill 1009, introduced by Carole A. Fiola, aims to address the challenges faced by healthcare providers in dealing with uncollectible patient financial obligations, specifically co-payments, co-insurance, and deductibles. The bill proposes that healthcare carriers be required to reimburse providers for at least 65% of these unpaid amounts after reasonable collection efforts have been exhausted. This legislative measure is intended to alleviate some of the financial burden on healthcare providers who often struggle with the collection of outstanding patient debts.
While the intent behind HB 1009 is to provide relief to healthcare providers, there may be notable points of contention regarding the potential for increased costs to insurance carriers, which could be passed on to consumers in the form of higher premiums. Some legislators may argue that this bill could create an incentive for providers to write off co-payments too readily, rather than pursuing more aggressive collection strategies. On the other hand, supporters may emphasize the need for providers to have a safety net for payments that are often difficult to collect.
The bill also sets forth that the division shall develop regulations within 90 days to align with the standards put forth by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services concerning reasonable collection efforts. This aspect introduces an additional layer of government oversight, and if regulations are not promulgated in time, the bill’s provisions will become self-implementing, indicating a robust approach to its enforcement.