ICYMI: Health & Human Services Approves Bill To Save Coloradans Money on Hospital Costs
HB23-1215 would prohibit hospitals from charging certain hidden facility fees
DENVER, CO – Yesterday the Senate Health and Human Services Committee approved Senators Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County, and Kyle Mullica’s, D-Thornton, bill to prohibit certain facility fees.
HB23-1215 would prohibit certain health care providers from charging hidden facility fees on top of the health care services they are already being charged to cover operating costs. Providers would also be required to disclose information about facility fees to consumers and post this information in their facilities. The bill would make it a deceptive trade practice to not share facility fee information to patients.
“Medical debt is already a leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States; it is not acceptable that Coloradans are being burdened with unnecessary costs they should not be responsible for,” said Cutter. “Facility fees can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars and are impossible for families to plan for, since they are often unexpected. Further examining and addressing facility fees, and requiring additional transparency, will help save Coloradans money and allow them to better plan and budget for necessary medical care."
“Most Coloradans are unable to afford hundreds or thousands of dollars of surprise hidden fees,” Mullica said. “Surprise fees make it difficult for Coloradans to budget for health care services, deterring people from seeking the care they need altogether. Prohibiting certain facility fees will help protect patients and provide much needed relief for Colorado families.”
HB23-1215 would require the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) to produce a report by December 1, 2023 that outlines the impacts of facility fees to better understand what these fees cover and how these fees impact patient cost and patient health. HCPF would also be required to produce an annual report to improve data collection on facility fees and to increase transparency on the effects of these added costs.
HB23-1215 now heads to the Appropriations Committee for further consideration. You can follow the bill’s progress HERE.