HB 0425 2004
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to uninsured hospital patients; creating
3	s. 395.3012, F.S.; requiring hospitals to establish
4	certain policies and procedures to determine a patient's
5	ability to pay for certain services; providing criteria;
6	requiring notification of a patient of such policies and
7	procedures; providing a definition; providing an effective
8	date.
9
10	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11
12	Section 1. Section 395.3012, Florida Statutes, is created
13	to read:
14	395.3012 Procedures for uninsured hospital patients.--
15	(1) Each hospital shall establish written policies and
16	procedures for determining the capability of uninsured patients
17	to pay for hospital-based medical services that must, at a
18	minimum, provide for:
19	(a) The collection and review of relevant financial
20	information from the patient.
21	(b) The assessment by the hospital, to the best of its
22	ability, of the patient's eligibility for governmental or
23	charitable assistance.
24	(c) The offer to the patient of any discounts or extended
25	payment terms or plans.
26	(d) The delineation to the patient of the patient's
27	responsibilities for payment and the consequences for failure to
28	pay.
29	(2) The notification to the patient of these policies and
30	procedures shall be included in the patient's hospital bill.
31	(3) For purposes of this section, the term "patient" means
32	an uninsured person who is in the process of being admitted, or
33	in the case of emergency services and care has been admitted, to
34	the hospital.
35	Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.