ASSEMBLY, No. 1454

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 5, 1996

 

 

By Assemblyman IMPREVEDUTO

 

 

An Act concerning health care facilities and supplementing P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.).

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. A patient at a health care facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) is entitled to receive an itemized copy of the bill which details the services provided to the patient in plain language, in accordance with standards adopted by the Commissioner of Health. If the health care facility has forwarded the original bill to a designated third party payer, the copy of the bill provided to the patient shall include a statement in bold print at the top which notifies the patient that this is a copy of the bill for the patient's records, and that a bill has been forwarded to the third party payer designated by the patient.

 

    2. The Commissioner of Health, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of this act.

 

    3. This act shall take effect on the 60th day after the effective date of this act.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill requires that a licensed health care facility furnish each patient with an itemized copy of the bill which details the services provided to the patient in plain language. When appropriate, the copy of the bill is to include a statement in bold print at the top which notifies the patient that this is a copy of the bill for the patient's records, and that a bill has been forwarded to the third party payer designated by the patient. This bill is intended to facilitate patients' efforts to communicate with their insurers regarding services received, as necessary.


 

Requires health care facilities provide copy of bill to patients.