2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-03561HB0121
HOUSE BILL NO. HB0121
Hospital pricing transparency.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Singh, Andrew, Bear,
Haroldson, Harshman, Locke, Neiman and
Rodriguez-Williams and Senator(s) Biteman,
Hutchings, Laursen, D, Rothfuss and Salazar
A BILL
for
1 AN ACT relating to public health and safety; requiring
2 hospitals to list prices for medical items and services as
3 specified; requiring the department of health to monitor
4 and enforce the provisions of this act; providing
5 penalties; prohibiting collection actions as specified;
6 requiring recommendations for proposed legislation;
7 providing definitions; requiring rulemaking; making
8 conforming amendments; and providing for effective dates.
9
10
11
12. W.S. 35-2-1501 through 35-2-1511 are
13 created to read:
14 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03562HB0121
1 ARTICLE 15
2 DISCLOSURE OF HOSPITAL PRICING
3
4
5
6 (a) This act shall be known and may be cited as the
7 "Hospital Price Transparency Act."
8
9 (b) The purpose of this act is to require hospitals
10 to disclose prices for certain items and services, to
11 provide civil penalties and to prohibit debt collection by
12 noncompliant facilities.
13
14
15
16 (a) As used in this act:
17
18 (i) "Ancillary service" means a facility item or
19 service that a facility customarily provides as part of a
20 shoppable service;
21
22 (ii) "Department" means the department of
23 health; 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03563HB01211
2 (iii) "De-identified maximum negotiated charge"
3 means the highest charge a facility has negotiated with all
4 third party payors for a facility item or service;
5
6 (iv) "De-identified minimum negotiated charge"
7 means the lowest charge a facility has negotiated with all
8 third party payors for a facility item or service;
9
10 (v) "Discounted cash price" means the charge
11 that applies to a person who pays cash, or a cash
12 equivalent, for a facility item or service;
13
14 (vi) "Facility" means a hospital licensed under
15 title 35 of the Wyoming statutes;
16
17 (vii) "Facility item or service" means all items
18 and services, including individual items and services and
19 service packages, that may be provided by a facility to a
20 patient in connection with an inpatient admission or an
21 outpatient department visit for which the facility has
22 established a standard charge, including:
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03564HB01211 (A) Supplies and procedures;
2
3 (B) Room and board;
4
5 (C) Use of the facility and other areas,
6 generally referred to as facility fees;
7
8 (D) Services of health care providers
9 employed by the facility, generally referred to as
10 professional charges;
11
12 (E) Any other item or service for which a
13 facility has established a standard charge.
14
15 (viii) "Gross charge" means the charge for a
16 facility item or service that is reflected on a facility's
17 list, less any discounts;
18
19 (ix) "Machine-readable format" means a digital
20 representation of information that can be imported or read
21 into a computer system for processing;
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03565HB01211 (x) "Payor-specific negotiated charge" means the
2 charge that a facility has negotiated with a third party
3 payor for a facility item or service;
4
5 (xi) "Shoppable service" means a service that
6 may be scheduled by a patient in advance;
7
8 (xii) "Standard charge" means the regular rate
9 established by the facility for a facility item or service
10 provided to a specific group of paying patients. The term
11 includes all of the following:
12
13 (A) The gross charge;
14
15 (B) The payor-specific negotiated charge;
16
17 (C) The de-identified minimum negotiated
18 charge;
19
20 (D) The de-identified maximum negotiated
21 charge;
22
23 (E) The discounted cash price. 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03566HB01211
2 (xiii) "Third-party payor" means a person that
3 is, by statute, contract or agreement, legally responsible
4 for payment of a claim for a facility item or service;
5
6 (xiv) "This act" means W.S. 35-2-1501 through
7 35-2-1511.
8
9
10
11
12 (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a facility shall
13 make public:
14
15 (i) A digital file in a machine-readable format
16 that contains a list of all standard charges, expressed in
17 dollar amounts, for all facility items or services as
18 described by W.S. 35-2-1504;
19
20 (ii) A consumer-friendly list of standard
21 charges for a limited set of shoppable services as provided
22 in W.S. 35-2-1505.
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03567HB01211
2
3 (a) A facility shall:
4
5 (i) Maintain a list of all standard charges for
6 all facility items or services in accordance with this
7 section; and
8
9 (ii) Make the list required under paragraph (i)
10 of this subsection available at all times to the public,
11 including by posting the list in the manner provided by
12 this section.
13
14 (b) The standard charges contained in the list
15 required to be maintained by a facility under subsection
16 (a) of this section shall reflect the standard charges
17 applicable to that location of the facility, regardless of
18 whether the facility operates in more than one (1) location
19 or operates under the same license as another facility.
20
21 (c) The list required under subsection (a) of this
22 section shall include the following items, if applicable:
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03568HB01211 (i) A description of each facility item or
2 service provided by the facility;
3
4 (ii) The following charges, expressed in dollar
5 amounts, for each individual facility item or service when
6 provided in either an inpatient setting or an outpatient
7 department setting:
8
9 (A) The gross charge;
10
11 (B) The de-identified minimum negotiated
12 charge;
13
14 (C) The de-identified maximum negotiated
15 charge;
16
17 (D) The discounted cash price;
18
19 (E) The payor-specific negotiated charge,
20 listed by the name of the third party payor and plan
21 associated with the charge and displayed in a manner that
22 clearly associates the charge with each third party payor
23 and plan; and 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03569HB01211
2 (F) Any code used by the facility for
3 purposes of accounting or billing for the facility item or
4 service.
5
6 (d) The list required by subsection (a) of this
7 section shall be displayed in a prominent location on the
8 home page of the facility's publicly accessible website or
9 accessible through a link on that website. If the facility
10 operates multiple locations and maintains a single website,
11 the list shall be posted for each location the facility
12 operates in a manner that clearly associates the list with
13 the applicable location of the facility.
14
15 (e) The list required under subsection (a) of this
16 subsection shall:
17
18 (i) Be available:
19
20 (A) Free of charge;
21
22 (B) Without having to establish a user
23 account or password; 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035610HB01211
2 (C) Without having to submit personal
3 identifying information;
4
5 (D) Without having to enter a code to
6 access the list.
7
8 (ii) Be accessible to a common commercial
9 operator of an internet search engine to the extent
10 necessary for the search engine to index and display the
11 list as a result in response to a search query of a user of
12 the search engine;
13
14 (iii) Be formatted in a manner prescribed by the
15 department;
16
17 (iv) Be digitally searchable;
18
19 (v) Use the naming convention specified by the
20 centers for Medicare and Medicaid services.
21
22 (f) In prescribing the format for the list under
23 paragraph (e)(iii) of this section, the department shall: 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035611HB01211
2 (i) Develop a template that each facility shall
3 use in formatting the list;
4
5 (ii) Consider any applicable federal guidelines
6 for formatting similar lists required by federal law or
7 rule and ensure that the design of the template enables
8 health care researchers to compare the charges contained in
9 the lists maintained by each facility; and
10
11 (iii) Design the template to be substantially
12 similar to the template used by the centers for Medicare
13 and Medicaid services for purposes similar to those of this
14 act, if the department determines that designing the
15 template in that manner serves the purposes of paragraph
16 (ii) of this subsection and that the department benefits
17 from developing and requiring that substantially similar
18 design.
19
20 (g) Each facility shall update the list required by
21 subsection (a) of this section not less than annually. Each
22 facility shall clearly indicate the date on which the list
23 was updated. 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035612HB01211
2
3
4
5 (a) A facility shall maintain and make publicly
6 available a list of the standard charges described by W.S.
7 35-2-1504(c) for not less than three hundred (300)
8 shoppable services provided by the facility. Each facility
9 may select the shoppable services to be included in the
10 list, except that the list shall include:
11
12 (i) The seventy (70) services specified by the
13 centers for Medicare and Medicaid services in 45 C.F.R.
14 part 180; or
15
16 (ii) If the facility does not provide all of the
17 shoppable services described by paragraph (i) of this
18 subsection, as many of those shoppable services as the
19 facility does provide. Services that are not provided but
20 are Medicare and Medicaid listed services shall be
21 identified by the facility; and
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035613HB01211 (iii) State each location where a facility
2 provides the shoppable service and whether the standard
3 charges included in the list apply at that location to the
4 provision of that shoppable service in an inpatient
5 setting, an outpatient department setting or in both of
6 those settings.
7
8 (b) In selecting a shoppable service for purposes of
9 inclusion in the list required by subsection (a) of this
10 section, a facility shall:
11
12 (i) Consider how frequently the facility
13 provides the services and the facility's billing rate for
14 that service; and
15
16 (ii) Prioritize the selection of services that
17 are among the services most frequently provided by the
18 facility.
19
20 (c) The list required by subsection (a) of this
21 section shall be:
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035614HB01211 (i) Displayed in a manner prescribed by W.S.
2 35-2-1504(d);
3
4 (ii) Available:
5
6 (A) Free of charge;
7
8 (B) Without having to register or establish
9 a user account or password;
10
11 (C) Without having to submit personal
12 identifying information; and
13
14 (D) Without having to enter a code to
15 access the list.
16
17 (iii) Searchable by service description, billing
18 code and third party payor;
19
20 (iv) Updated in the manner prescribed by W.S.
21 35-2-1504(g);
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035615HB01211 (v) Accessible to a common commercial operation
2 of an internet search engine to the extent necessary for
3 the search engine to index and display the list as a result
4 in response to a search query of a user of the search
5 engine; and
6
7 (vi) Formatted in a manner that is consistent
8 with the format prescribed by the department under W.S.
9 35-2-1504(e)(iii).
10
11
12
13 Each time a facility updates a list as required by W.S.
14 35-2-1504(g) and 35-2-1505(c)(iv), the facility shall
15 submit the updated list to the department. The department
16 shall prescribe the form in which the updated list shall be
17 submitted to the department.
18
19
20
21 (a) The department shall monitor each facility's
22 compliance with the requirements of this act using any of
23 the following methods: 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035616HB0121
1
2 (i) Evaluating complaints made by persons to the
3 department regarding noncompliance with the act;
4
5 (ii) Reviewing any analysis prepared regarding
6 noncompliance with this act;
7
8 (iii) Auditing the websites of facilities for
9 compliance with this act;
10
11 (iv) Confirming that each facility submitted the
12 lists as required by W.S. 35-2-1506.
13
14 (b) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the
15 contrary, in considering an application for renewal of a
16 facility's license or certificate, the department shall
17 consider whether a facility is or has been in compliance
18 with this act.
19
20
21
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035617HB01211 (a) A facility materially violates this act if the
2 facility fails to:
3
4 (i) Comply with the requirements of W.S.
5 35-2-1503; or
6
7 (ii) Publicize the facility's standard charges
8 in the form and manner required by W.S. 35-2-1504 and
9 35-2-1505.
10
11 (b) If the department determines that a facility has
12 materially violated this act, the department shall issue a
13 material violation notice to the facility and request that
14 the facility submit a corrective action plan. The notice
15 shall indicate the form and manner that the corrective
16 action plan shall be submitted to the department and shall
17 clearly state the date by which the facility shall submit
18 the plan.
19
20 (c) The facility that receives a notice under
21 subsection (b) of this section shall:
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035618HB01211 (i) Submit a corrective action plan in the form
2 and manner, and by the specified date, prescribed by the
3 notice of violation; and
4
5 (ii) As soon as practicable after submission of
6 a corrective action plan to the department and after
7 department approval under subsection (e) of this section,
8 act to comply with the plan.
9
10 (d) A corrective action plan submitted to the
11 department shall:
12
13 (i) Describe in detail the corrective action the
14 facility will take to address any violation identified by
15 the department in the notice provided under subsection (b)
16 of this section; and
17
18 (ii) Provide a date by which the facility will
19 complete the corrective action plan.
20
21 (e) A corrective action plan is subject to review and
22 approval by the department. After the department reviews
23 and approves a facility's corrective action plan, the 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035619HB0121
1 department shall monitor and evaluate the facility's
2 compliance with the plan.
3
4 (f) A facility is considered to have failed to
5 respond to the department's request to submit a corrective
6 action plan if the facility fails to submit a corrective
7 action plan:
8
9 (i) In the form and manner specified in the
10 notice under subsection (b) of this section; or
11
12 (ii) By the date specified in the notice
13 provided in subsection (b) of this section.
14
15 (g) A facility is considered to have failed to comply
16 with a corrective action plan if the facility fails to
17 address a violation within the specified period of time
18 contained in the plan.
19
20
21
22 (a) The department shall impose a civil penalty on a
23 facility if a facility fails to: 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035620HB0121
1
2 (i) Respond to the department's notice to submit
3 a corrective action plan; or
4
5 (ii) Comply with the requirements of a
6 corrective action plan submitted to the department.
7
8 (b) The department shall impose a civil penalty on a
9 facility of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per day for
10 each day a facility fails to comply with subsection (a) of
11 this section.
12
13 (c) Beginning October 1, 2025, the department shall
14 create and maintain a publicly available list on its
15 website of facilities that have been found in violation of
16 this act, that have been issued a civil penalty or sent a
17 warning notice and that have been sent a request for a
18 corrective action plan from the department. Such penalties,
19 notices and communications shall be subject to public
20 disclosure under 5 U.S.C. § 552, notwithstanding any
21 exemptions or exclusions to the contrary, in full without
22 redaction. The list required by this subsection shall be
23 updated every thirty (30) days. 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035621HB0121
1
2
3
4 The department shall propose to the legislature any
5 necessary recommendations for amending this act, including
6 recommendations in response to amendments by the centers
7 for Medicare and Medicaid services to 45 C.F.R. Part 180.
8
9
10
11
12 (a) As used in this section:
13
14 (i) "Collection action" means any of the
15 following actions taken with respect to a debt for items
16 and services that were purchased from or provided to a
17 patient by a facility on a date during which the facility
18 was in material noncompliance with this act:
19
20 (A) Attempting to collect a debt from a
21 patient or patient guarantor by referring the debt,
22 directly or indirectly, to a debt collector, a collection 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035622HB0121
1 agency or a third party payor retained by or on behalf of
2 the facility;
3
4 (B) Suing the patient or patient guarantor,
5 or enforcing an arbitration or mediation agreement; or
6
7 (C) Directly or indirectly causing a report
8 to be made to a consumer reporting agency.
9
10 (ii) "Collection agency" means any:
11
12 (A) Person who engages in a business the
13 principal purpose of which is the collection of debts; or
14
15 (B) Person who:
16
17 (I) Regularly collects or attempts to
18 collect, directly or indirectly, debts owed, due or
19 asserted to be owed or due to another;
20
21 (II) Takes assignment of debts for
22 collection purposes; or
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035623HB01211 (III) Directly or indirectly solicits
2 for collection debts owed, due or asserted to be owed or
3 due to another.
4
5 (iii) "Consumer reporting agency" means any
6 person who, for monetary fees, dues or on a cooperative
7 nonprofit basis, regularly engages, in whole or in part, in
8 the practice of assembling or evaluating consumer credit
9 information or other information on consumers for the
10 purpose of furnishing consumer reports to third parties.
11 "Consumer reporting agency" includes any person defined in
12 15 U.S.C. § 1681a(f). "Consumer reporting agency" shall not
13 include any business entity that provides check
14 verification or check guarantee services only;
15
16 (iv) "Debt" means any obligation or alleged
17 obligation of a consumer to pay money arising out of a
18 transaction, whether or not the obligation has been reduced
19 to a judgment. "Debt" shall not include a debt for
20 business, investment, commercial or agricultural purposes;
21
22 (v) "Debt collector" means any person employed
23 or engaged by a collection agency to perform the collection 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035624HB0121
1 of debts owed, due or asserted to be owed or due to
2 another.
3
4 (b) A facility that is in material noncompliance with
5 this act on the date that items and services are purchased
6 from or provided to a patient by the facility shall not
7 initiate or pursue a collection action against the patient
8 or patient guarantor for a debt owed for the item or
9 services.
10
11 (c) If a patient provides documentation that a
12 facility was in material noncompliance with this act on a
13 date that items or services were purchased by or provided
14 to the patient, and the facility takes collection action
15 against the patient or patient guarantor, the patient or
16 patient guarantor may file suit to determine if the
17 facility was materially out of compliance with this act on
18 the date of service, and the noncompliance is related to
19 the items and services. The facility shall not take a
20 collection action against the patient or patient guarantor
21 while the lawsuit is pending.
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035625HB01211 (d) A facility that has been found by a court of
2 competent jurisdiction to be materially out of compliance
3 with this act:
4
5 (i) Shall refund the payor any amount of the
6 debt the payor has paid and shall pay a penalty to the
7 patient or patient guarantor in an amount equal to the
8 total amount of the debt;
9
10 (ii) Shall dismiss or cause to be dismissed any
11 court action with prejudice and pay any attorney fees and
12 costs incurred by the patient or patient guarantor relating
13 to the action; and
14
15 (iii) Remove or cause to be removed from the
16 patient or patient guarantor's credit report any report
17 made to a consumer reporting agency relating to the debt.
18
19 (e) Nothing in this section:
20
21 (i) Prohibits a facility from billing a patient,
22 patient guarantor or third party payor for items or
23 services provided to the patient; or 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035626HB0121
1
2 (ii) Requires a facility to refund any payment
3 made to the facility for items or services provided to the
4 patient, provided no collection action is taken in
5 violation of this section.
6
7. W.S. 35‑2‑905(a) by creating a new
8 paragraph (vi) is amended to read:
9
10
11
12
13 (a) The division may place conditions upon a license,
14 install a division approved monitor or manager at the
15 owner's or operator's expense, suspend admissions, or deny,
16 suspend or revoke a license issued under this act if a
17 licensee:
18
19
20
21
22The department of health shall promulgate
23 all rules necessary to implement this act. 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-035627HB01211
2
3
4 (a) Except as otherwise provided by subsection (b) of
5 this section, this act is effective July 1, 2025.
6
7 (b) Sections 3 and 4 of this act are effective
8 immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a
9 bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of
10 the Wyoming Constitution.
11
12 (END)