As the weeks pass, fewer bills continue through the legislative process and budget proposals garner increased attention. A recent uplifting revenue forecast provides budget writers an additional $647 million to work with.

In our new legislative update, we follow the progress of health care access legislation still alive as we near the deadline for bills to move out of policy committees in the second house. This week we spotlight the following bills:

• HB 2114 would address the important issue of “surprise billing” – when a person receives a surprise medical bill  from an out-of-network provider because their health insurance paid less than expected.  The inappropriate charges that this bill addresses are a major problem in our state. A nationally representative survey of consumers by the Consumers Union found that in a two-year period, nearly one in three privately insured residents received a surprisemedical bill. Consumers are powerless to control some surprise bills, such as those for emergency services and medical staff selected by the hospital during surgical procedures.  The issue is that providers do not have payment agreements with insurers. This bill would take consumers out of the middle. The bill passed the House and was heard in Senate Health this week. At the hearing, providers and insurance companies all agreed with the concept but expressed frustration with the provisions in the bill for settling payment amounts, prompting bill sponsor Representative Eileen Cody to say, “The only people that I think are going to really benefit, the main people, are the consumers because this is about the fight between providers and the carriers and the consumer gets caught in the middle.” This bill needs consumer support!
• Bills to improve hospital charity care information (HB 2836/SB 6273) are moving through their respective houses. The bills require better notification to consumers about the availability of charity care. Spurred by a Columbia Legal Services report last fall, the bills require charity care notices to be provided in hospital bills and posted in multiple languages at hospitals. We appreciate the work that Representative Laurie Jinkins has done to strengthen this legislation.
• SB 5683 would provide financial assistance to help low-income immigrants from the COFA islands (Palau, Marshall Islands and Micronesia) to afford Qualified Health Plan coverage. These individuals do not qualify for Medicaid due to their immigration status. The bill allows payment of premiums and out-of-pocket costs, subject to appropriation, requires comprehensive community education and outreach, and establishes an advisory committee.