Assembly Bill No. 129–Assemblymen Cegavske, Anderson, Berman, Brown, Buckley, Claborn, Goldwater, Gustavson, Hettrick, Humke, Manendo, Parnell, Smith and Von Tobel

 

February 14, 2001

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Joint Sponsors: Senators Carlton and Shaffer

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Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

 

SUMMARY—Limits fees which providers of health services may collect from insured patients under certain circumstances. (BDR 40‑1052)

 

FISCAL NOTE:            Effect on Local Government: No.

                                    Effect on the State: No.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to providers of health services; limiting the fees which a provider of health services may collect from a hospital patient if the hospital has contracted with the patient’s insurer for a rate of payment or reimbursement for these services; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1    Section 1. Chapter 439B of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto

1-2  a new section to read as follows:

1-3    1.  If a hospital, pursuant to a contract with an insurer, agrees to a

1-4  rate of payment or reimbursement for the provision of a health service to

1-5  a patient who is insured by the insurer, a practitioner who, as a member

1-6  of the staff of the hospital or pursuant to a contract with the hospital,

1-7  provides such a service to such a patient shall not collect or seek to

1-8  collect from the patient any fees or costs relating to that service other

1-9  than:

1-10    (a) Any portion of the payment or reimbursement to which the

1-11  hospital has agreed pursuant to its contract with the insurer, which is not

1-12  paid to the hospital; and

1-13    (b) Any portion of any additional copayment, deductible or

1-14  coinsurance required by the insurer from the patient, which is not paid to

1-15  the hospital.

2-1    2.  For the purposes of this section:

2-2    (a) “Health service” means any service relating to the observation,

2-3  care, treatment or rehabilitation of a patient or the diagnosis of a human

2-4  disease.

2-5    (b) “Insurer” means any insurer or other organization authorized

2-6  pursuant to Title 57 of NRS to conduct business in this state that pays or

2-7  reimburses any fees or costs for the provision of a health service to an

2-8  insured.

 

2-9  H