Ohio Senate passes bill requiring advanced notice of hospital charges

Ohioans would be able to learn the bottom-line cost of their scheduled hospital care — and their out-of-pocket share of the bill — in advance under a bill passed unanimously by the Ohio Senate on Wednesday (Source: “Senate passes bill to allow patients to learn hospital costs in advance,” Columbus Dispatch, Oct. 9, 2019).

Senate Bill 97, sponsored by Sen. Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, would require hospitals to provide a “reasonable, good faith” cost estimate, or price range, of scheduled services at the advance request of patients beginning July 1, 2021.

The information must include an estimate of out-of-pocket costs and whether other costs, such as physician or anesthesiology services, will be billed separately. Hospitals also must warn patients if they are out of network with their health insurer to prevent so-called “surprise billing.” Patients must request cost estimates at least seven days in advance.

The bill, passed by a 32-0 vote, now advances to the House for consideration.

Lawmakers used the state budget to insert the hospital price transparency language and a provision requiring insurers to cover out-of-network care when provided at in-network facilities. However, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed the provisions, calling them unworkable and duplicative of federal requirements. A separate bill addressing “surprise billing” accompanying out-of-network care at covered providers is undergoing hearings in the Senate.