Bill Text: MS HB870 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Health care patient; not liable to provider if health insurance doesn't pay because provider files claim too late.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Failed) 2013-02-05 - Died In Committee [HB870 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2013-HB870-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2013 Regular Session
To: Insurance
By: Representative Frierson
House Bill 870
AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT A PATIENT OF A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER IS NOT LIABLE FOR ANY PART OF THE COST OF ANY SERVICE PROVIDED FOR THE PATIENT BY THE PROVIDER THAT THE PATIENT'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN DOES NOT REIMBURSE TO THE PROVIDER BECAUSE THE PROVIDER DID NOT FILE THE CLAIM FOR PAYMENT WITH THE PLAN WITHIN THE TIME REQUIRED BY THE PLAN; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section:
(a) "Health insurance plan" means any health insurance policy or health benefit plan offered by a health insurer, and includes the State and School Employees Health Insurance Plan, the Comprehensive Health Insurance Risk Pool Association health insurance plan, and any other health care assistance program offered or administered by the state or any political subdivision or instrumentality of the state, but does not include the Medicaid program.
(b) "Health insurer" means any health insurance company, nonprofit hospital and medical service corporation, health maintenance organization, preferred provider organization, managed care organization, pharmacy benefit manager, and, to the extent permitted under federal law, any administrator of an insured, self-insured or publicly funded health care benefit plan offered by public and private entities, and other parties that are by statute, contract, or agreement, legally responsible for payment of a claim for a health care item or service.
(c) "Health care provider" means a person, partnership or corporation that is licensed, certified or otherwise authorized by state or federal law to provide professional health care services in this state to an individual during that individual's health care, treatment or confinement. The term includes health care facilities and institutions in which health care services are provided.
(2) (a) A patient of a health care provider is not liable for any part of the cost of any service provided for the patient by the provider if that service would otherwise have been covered under a health insurance plan of which the patient is a member, but the plan does not reimburse the provider for the cost of providing the service because the provider did not file the claim for payment with the plan within the time required by the plan.
(b) A health care provider shall not bill or charge a patient, or request, require or demand payment from a patient, for any part of the cost of any service provided for the patient by the provider for which the patient is not liable as provided under paragraph (a) of this subsection.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2013.
