Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Appropriations Ambulance Billing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Appropriations committee clears ambulance balance-billing bill; $46,000 ongoing diversion cited
Summary
The committee unanimously approved House Bill 1088, which addresses ambulance balance billing and funds enforcement and a public database with an ongoing diversion of roughly $46,000 from the general fund, sponsors said.
The Senate Committee on Appropriations unanimously approved House Bill 1088 after sponsors described the measure as aimed at ending ambulance "balance billing" and creating a public database of locally set reimbursement rates.
Senator Mullica, the bill sponsor, said the fiscal note includes a diversion of about $46,000 ongoing from the general fund to cover enforcement by the Department of Insurance (DOI) and the cost to create and host the database of local rates. "The majority of the fiscal note ... covers the cost of the enforcement within DOI ... and fiscal note also covers the cost of setting up the data, the database so all locally set rates can be posted and transparently available," Mullica said.
Mullica referenced Texas, saying a similar law produced very little enforcement activity there: "Texas, where near identical law was in place, they only saw 1 violation. We anticipate very low enforcement needs as well," Mullica said.
Senator Kirkmeyer asked whether the diversion recurs every year; Mullica replied in the affirmative, and the sponsor clarified the funding is intended as ongoing. The committee moved the bill and recorded unanimous support in the roll call.
The bill was placed on the consent calendar for the full Senate after the committee vote.
