KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

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SB189 • 2026

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning insurance.

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning insurance.

Healthcare
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Senator Scott Baldwin
Last action
2026-03-05
Official status
Enrolled Senate Bill (S)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on enforcement or penalties for non-compliance, leaving these aspects unclear.

Rules for Health Insurance Disputes

This law sets rules for how health insurance companies handle disputes with doctors who are not part of their network.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires people asking for dispute resolution to tell the hospital about it within three business days after submitting a request.
  • Allows an insurance company to warn a doctor and hospital if there are 25 or more disputes in any 90-day period.
  • Mandates that all parties try to solve problems fairly after receiving a warning from the insurance company.
  • Forbids health insurers from charging extra fees or penalties to hospitals or doctors for treating patients with out-of-network providers.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Health insurance companies
  • Doctors who are not part of an insurance network
  • Hospitals and medical facilities

Terms To Know

Independent dispute resolution
A process where a neutral third party helps solve disagreements between health insurers, doctors, and patients.
Out-of-network provider
A doctor or hospital that is not part of the insurance company's network agreement.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if an insurer violates the rules.
  • It is unclear how disputes will be resolved after a warning from the insurance company.
  • There are no details on enforcement or penalties for non-compliance with these new requirements.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SB0189.01.INTR.AMS01

Committee Introduced Senate Bill (S) • Senator Scott Baldwin

Filed

Plain English: The amendment adds new rules for nonparticipating healthcare providers in Indiana.

  • Adds a definition for 'nonparticipating provider' which refers to healthcare providers who do not have a contract with an insurance company.
  • Establishes requirements for how insurance companies must handle claims from nonparticipating providers.
  • The exact details of the new requirements are not specified in the provided text, so it's unclear what specific actions insurance companies will need to take.
SB0189.02.COMS.AMH10

Committee Senate Bill (H) • Representative Martin Carbaugh

Filed

Plain English: This amendment adds a new section to the Indiana Code about insurance that deals with independent dispute resolution.

  • Adds a new section to the Indiana Code concerning insurance, focusing on independent dispute resolution.
  • The official text does not provide details on how this independent dispute resolution process will work or what specific changes it will make to existing laws.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Public Law 119

  3. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Signed by the President Pro Tempore

  4. 2026-02-27 House

    Signed by the Speaker

  5. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Signed by the President of the Senate

  6. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Senate concurred with House amendments; Roll Call 299: yeas 49, nays 0

  7. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senate dissented from House amendments

  8. 2026-02-25 House

    House conferees appointed: Barrett, Campbell

  9. 2026-02-25 House

    House advisors appointed: Carbaugh, Shackleford

  10. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Dissent rescinded

  11. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Motion to concur filed

  12. 2026-02-24 House

    Returned to the Senate with amendments

  13. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Motion to dissent filed

  14. 2026-02-23 House

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 306: yeas 96, nays 0

  15. 2026-02-23 House

    Representatives Snow, Campbell added as cosponsors

  16. 2026-02-19 House

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

  17. 2026-02-17 House

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  18. 2026-01-29 House

    First reading: referred to Committee on Insurance

  19. 2026-01-28 Senate

    Referred to the House

  20. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 103: yeas 44, nays 1

  21. 2026-01-27 Senate

    House sponsor: Representative Barrett

  22. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Cosponsor: Representative Carbaugh

  23. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Senator Johnson T added as third author

  24. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Senators Koch, Brown L added as coauthors

  25. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

  26. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Senator Garten added as second author

  27. 2026-01-22 Senate

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  28. 2026-01-15 Senate

    Senator Randolph added as coauthor

  29. 2026-01-06 Senate

    Authored by Senator Baldwin

  30. 2026-01-06 Senate

    First reading: referred to Committee on Insurance and Financial Institutions

Official Summary Text

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning insurance.
Nonparticipating providers.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning insurance.

Nonparticipating providers.

Requires an initiating party that submits a request for independent dispute resolution to provide written notice to the facility not later than three business days after submitting the request. Allows a health carrier to provide notice to an out of network provider and a facility if, during any 90 day period, an initiating party submits requests for independent dispute resolutions that, in the aggregate, include 25 or more qualified disputes. Provides that if a health carrier provides the notice, the health carrier, the out of network provider, and the facility shall engage in good faith efforts to negotiate a resolution. Prohibits a health carrier from assessing a facility or a provider an administrative fee or penalty related to the provision of care to an individual that involves an out of network provider. Provides that if a health carrier assesses a facility or a provider an administrative fee or penalty related to the provision of care to an individual that involves an out of network provider, the health carrier commits an unfair and deceptive act or practice in the business of insurance.