Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases hospital price transparency and prohibits the collection action of debt for patients in noncompliant hospitals in Pennsylvania.

Highlights:

• Amends the Health Care Facilities Act of 1979 in Pennsylvania by the following, including, but not limited to (Sec. 1):

• Increasing hospital price transparency; and

• Prohibiting the collection action of debt for patients in non-compliant hospitals.

• Authorizes state-level oversight based on current federal requirements from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) (Sec. 1).

• Requires hospitals to maintain a publicly available list of all standard charges for hospital items and services and display their lists free of charge in a prominent location on the home page of their publicly accessible website (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits action from debt collectors for non-compliant hospitals and from reporting the individual’s case to a consumer reporting agency (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect 180 days following passage and approval by the Governor (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text