Florida's hospitals will now have to be more transparent when it comes to pricing and consumers will get more protections from unexpected healthcare bills. Those provisions are among several health-related measures Governor Rick Scott signed into law Thursday.
Part of the new law requires hospitals to post prices and average payments online. Florida Hospital Association spokeswoman Monica Corbett says her association helped work on the price transparency provision.
“We stand ready to work with the Agency for Healthcare Administration to implement this legislation and create an additional resource for patients and their families,” said Corbett.
The new law also directs insurers to post claims information in a database. Additionally, it states that patients are entitled to estimates.
Another new law stops insurers from billing patients for emergency or non-emergency services out of the patient’s control. Insurers are expected to negotiate those balances with providers.
The bill marks a victory for outgoing Senate President Andy Gardiner, whose son has Down syndrome. The diagnosis will now be covered by large group providers.
