Montana HB689: Provide for pricing transparency requirements for hospitals

What the bill says

A bill for an act entitled: "an act providing for pricing transparency requirements for hospitals; requiring the publishing of standard charges and charges for shoppable services; providing for required reporting to the department of public health and human services; providing for enforcement by the department of justice; providing for a private right of action; providing notice and disclosure requirements for facility fees; requiring reporting to the legislature; prohibiting collection actions of debt by noncompliant hospitals; providing rulemaking authority; and providing definitions.".

From the engrossed text:

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT PROVIDING FOR PRICING TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR HOSPITALS; REQUIRING THE PUBLISHING OF STANDARD CHARGES AND CHARGES FOR SHOPPABLE SERVICES; PROVIDING FOR REQUIRED REPORTING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES; PROVIDING FOR ENFORCEMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE; PROVIDING FOR A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION; PROVIDING NOTICE AND DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR FACILITY FEES; REQUIRING REPORTING TO THE LEGISLATURE; PROHIBITING COLLECTION ACTIONS OF DEBT BY NONCOMPLIANT HOSPITALS; PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY; AND PROVIDING DEFINITIONS." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: NEW SECTION. Section 1. Definitions. As used in [sections 1 through 12], unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following definitions apply: (1) "Ancillary service" means a hospital item or service that a hospital customarily provides as part of a shoppable service. (2) "Chargemaster" means the list of all hospital items or services maintained by a hospital for which the hospital has established a charge. (3) "Deidentified maximum negotiated charge" means the highest charge that a hospital has negotiated with all third-party payors for a hospital item or service. (4) "Deidentified minimum negotiated charge" means the lowest charge that a hospital has negotiated with all third-party payors for a hospital item or service. (5) "Department" means the department of public health and human services provided for in 2-152201. …

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