BILL REQ. #:  S-3936.1 

Read first time 01/19/12.   Referred to Committee on Health & Long-Term Care.

     AN ACT Relating to billing practices for health care services; adding a new section to chapter 70.01 RCW; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 70.01 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Prior to the delivery of services, a health care facility that charges a facility fee shall provide a notice to any patient of the items that comprise the facility fee and an estimate of the potential cost to the patient.
     (2) Each health care facility must post prominently in locations easily accessible to and visible by patients, including its web site, a statement that the health care facility shall provide patients with the notice in subsection (1) of this section.
     (3) Any health care facility that charges a facility fee shall submit to the department of health a detailed explanation of the items included in the facility fee and the general costs associated with each item.
     (4) Nothing in this section applies to laboratory services, imaging services, or other ancillary health services not provided by staff employed by the health care facility.
     (5) Beginning November 15, 2013, the department of health shall provide an annual report to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature summarizing the reports received and the trends in the utilization of facility fees.
     (6) For the purposes of this section:
     (a) "Health care facility" means the site of an on-campus clinic or provider office or off-campus clinic or provider office that is owned by a hospital licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW or a health system that operates one or more hospitals licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW.
     (b) "Facility fee" means any charge by a health care facility in addition to a professional fee for physicians' services that is intended to cover building, electronic medical records systems, billing, and other administrative and operational expenses.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   This act takes effect January 1, 2013.