Health facilities: hospitals; hospital financial assistance act; enact. Creates new act.
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill, the Hospital Financial Assistance Act, requires Michigan hospitals to create and implement programs to help patients with medical debt. Hospitals must base eligibility on federal poverty guidelines and offer discounts, up to 100% for uninsured patients with low incomes. The bill also mandates hospitals to clearly communicate these programs to patients and report data on their effectiveness to the state. Finally, it establishes a process for determining patient income and allows for civil fines for non-compliance.
Key provisions
- Hospitals must develop and implement financial assistance programs for eligible patients.
- Eligibility is based on federal poverty guidelines.
- Up to a 100% discount is available for uninsured patients with incomes at or below 350% of the federal poverty guidelines.
- Hospitals must prominently display information about the programs on bills, statements, and their website.
- Hospitals must submit annual reports to the Department of Health and Human Services detailing program activity.
- The Department will establish a uniform process for collecting patient income information.
- A patient's failure to provide income information can be used as an affirmative defense in legal actions.
- Hospitals that violate the act may be subject to a civil fine of up to $10,000.
Who is affected
- Hospitals
- Patients with medical debt
Bill text
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Document of record
- Version
- Senate Introduced Bill
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