Subcommittee advances patient-friendly billing bill requiring itemized statements within 30 days

The Medical and Health Affairs Subcommittee voted unanimously to recommend House Bill 4069, a patient-billing transparency measure, to the full committee.

House Bill 4069 would require health-care providers requesting payment from a patient to provide an itemized bill specifying the cost of each service and supply provided during a patient's visit. A staff summary stated the itemized bill "must be made available no later than 30 days after the provider receives a final payment on the provided service or supply from a third party." The summary noted the itemized bill may be delivered electronically or in paper form and that the bill includes an opt-out for patients who decline a paper or electronic receipt.

Trey, the subcommittee staff member, summarized the provision: "Age 40 69 proposes to require health care providers requesting payment from a patient to provide that patient with an itemized bill that specifies the cost of each service and supply provided during the patient's visit. The itemized bill must be made available no later than 30 days after the provider receives a final payment on the provided service or supply from a third party. The issuance of the itemized bill may be electronic or written." The bill sponsor remarked that the measure is similar to one the body considered in the prior year, highlighted the new allowance for electronic delivery, and noted an opt-out option for patients who do not want a receipt.

Committee members asked no substantive follow-up questions; the clerk conducted a roll-call vote. Representatives Thomas Beach, Celeste Davis, Chris Hart, Scott Montgomery, (Representative) Moore and Subcommittee Chair Heath Sessions all voted yes. The clerk announced, "All are in favor of the bill." The transcript records no amendments, fiscal notes, or implementation details at the hearing.

The bill would create a statutory timeline and format requirement for patient itemized billing, with an electronic-delivery option and a patient opt-out. The transcript does not record how providers would comply operationally or whether the bill would include enforcement or penalty provisions.