The bill prohibits a hospital or other person or entity collecting on
behalf of the hospital from initiating or pursuing collection actions against a patient or patient guarantor for debt incurred by the patient on
the date or dates of service when the hospital was not in compliance with federal hospital price transparency laws.
Nothing in the bill: •
Prohibits a hospital from billing a patient or health insurer for items or services provided to the patient; or
•
Requires a hospital to refund a payment made to the hospital for items or services provided to a patient.
A hospital that initiates or pursues a prohibited collection action
is subject to a penalty equal to the amount of the debt and must refund any amount paid on the debt and pay attorney fees and costs.
The bill makes attempting to collect the debt an unfair practice
under the Colorado Fair Debt Collections Act.
The bill authorizes the department of public health and
environment, in considering a hospital's license renewal application, to consider whether the hospital is or has been in compliance with federal hospital price transparency laws.
