The Colorado Senate has passed legislation to protect patients from surprise medical bills, according to NBC-affiliate TV station KUSA.
The bill, which passed 31-4, now goes back to the House for consideration of the changes made by senators, according to KUSA. The House is expected to pass the bill again.
The bill is designed to curb surprise medical bills, which often occur after a patient unknowingly sees an out-of-network healthcare provider at an in-network facility.
It requires health insurance carriers, healthcare providers and healthcare facilities to notify patients of "the potential impact of receiving services from an out-of-network provider or healthcare facility."
The bill also establishes the reimbursement amount for out-of-network healthcare providers that care for health plan members at an in-network facility and for out-of-network healthcare providers or facilities that provide emergency services to health plan members. There is a penalty for noncompliance with the payment requirements for out-of-network healthcare services.
Read the full text of the bill here.
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