Health care transparency act.

2018
STATE OF WYOMING
18LSO-0070
Numbered
1.4

HOUSE BILL

NO.
HB0124

Health care transparency act.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Gray, Barlow, Biteman and Halverson

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to public health; requiring any health care provider to disclose the health care plans in which the provider participates and additional information about providers and services as specified; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 35
‑
2
‑
122 is created to read:

35
‑
2
‑
122
.

Health care plan participation disclosure.

(a)

Orally at the t
ime an appointment is scheduled
and
in writing before providing nonemergency services a health care provider shall disclose to patients or prospective patients the health care plans in which the health care provider is a participating provider and any other health care provider with which that health care provider is affiliated
.

(b)

If a health care pro
vider
does not

participate in the network of a patient’s or prospective patient’s health care plan, the health care

pro
vider
shall:

(
i
)

Before
providing
nonemergency services, inform a patient or prospective patient that the amount or estimated amount the health care pro
vider
will bill the patient for health care services is available upon request;

and

(
ii
)

U
pon receipt of a request from a patient or prospective patient, disclose to the patient or

prospective patient in writing the amount or estimated amount or a

schedule of fees that the health care pro
vider
will bill
the patient or prospective patient

for health care services provided or anticipated to be provided to the patient or prospective patient absent

unforeseen medical circumstances that may arise when the health care services are provided.

(c)

At the time of coordination of services or referral,
preadmission testing, registration or scheduling for nonemergency hospital admission or outpatient services,
a
health care pro
vider
shall provide a patient or prospective patient with the
contact information and any
website
of any health care provider scheduled to perform anesthesiology, laboratory, pathology, radiology
,
assistant surgeon
or other
services in connection with care
for the patient
along with instructions how to determine the health care plan participation of any other physician whose services the provider will arrange and schedule
.

(d)

A health care provider
shall establish
and
update a list of the
provider
’s standard charges for items and
hospital
services, including for diagnosis

related groups established under section 1886(d)(4) of the
Social Security A
ct
and
a
statement that p
hysician services provided in
a
hospital
may
not
be
included in the hospital’s charges
and p
hysicians who provide services in the hospital may or may not participate with the same health care plans as the hospital
.
This list shall be provided upon request.

(
e
)

As used in this section
"
h
ealth care provider" means as defined in W.S.

26
‑
40
‑
102(a)(
i
)
.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 201
8
.

(END)

1
HB0124