House Bill (HB) 388, legislation to end unexpected, expensive bills sent to patients after they unknowingly receive health care from an out-of-network provider, or for services such as lab work or ambulance transport, passed the House on May 20.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, “House Bill 388 passed unanimously after a deal on medical billing was reached between insurers and medical provides to create a multi-step process for negotiating out-of-network payments. Lawmakers had been working on the issue for more than a year.”
“Under the legislation, an out-of-network provider would send its bill to the patient’s insurance company. The insurer could then propose a different payment: the highest of its in-network rate, its out-of-network rate, or the federal Medicare rate.”
“The provider could then accept the payment or negotiate another rate. If that fails, the parties go to arbitration, with the loser paying 70% of arbitration costs and the winner paying the rest. The added expense is intended to encourage an agreement during the negotiation period.”
HB 388 will now go on to the Ohio Senate for consideration.