North Carolina's attorney general is urging lawmakers to enforce a range of price control strategies, including changes to hospitals' billing and collection processes, according to a News & Observer report.
Attorney General Roy Cooper (D) has written legislative proposals to state Sen. Bob Rucho (R). His proposed changes include:
• A requirement that healthcare providers write bills in plain, easy-to-understand language.
• Extending the amount of time patients have to request detailed, itemized bills from providers from 30 days since discharge to three years since discharge, which is the same amount of time a hospital has to file a collection action against a patient.
• Prohibiting hospitals from forcing the sale of a patient's primary residence in order to collect a bill.
Sen. Rucho and Sen. Harry Brown (R) recently proposed legislation to make hospital pricing more transparent, requiring hospitals to publicly disclose prices for their most common medical procedures. Mr. Cooper met with the senators this week to discuss incorporating some of his proposed changes into their legislation, according to the report.
Tennessee Telemedicine Bill Introduced, Stalls in Subcommittees
CMS, OIG Release Proposed Rule Extending Stark Law Safe Harbor for Provision of EHR Information
Attorney General Roy Cooper (D) has written legislative proposals to state Sen. Bob Rucho (R). His proposed changes include:
• A requirement that healthcare providers write bills in plain, easy-to-understand language.
• Extending the amount of time patients have to request detailed, itemized bills from providers from 30 days since discharge to three years since discharge, which is the same amount of time a hospital has to file a collection action against a patient.
• Prohibiting hospitals from forcing the sale of a patient's primary residence in order to collect a bill.
Sen. Rucho and Sen. Harry Brown (R) recently proposed legislation to make hospital pricing more transparent, requiring hospitals to publicly disclose prices for their most common medical procedures. Mr. Cooper met with the senators this week to discuss incorporating some of his proposed changes into their legislation, according to the report.
More Articles on Hospitals and Legislation:
Proposed Bill Would Expand Care Access in Rural AreasTennessee Telemedicine Bill Introduced, Stalls in Subcommittees
CMS, OIG Release Proposed Rule Extending Stark Law Safe Harbor for Provision of EHR Information