A new bill, Pennsylvania HB 79, would require the state’s Department of Health to develop a standard financial assistance form that hospitals would be required to give patients when they are admitted and discharged from a facility. Pennsylvania HB 79 has passed the House without the verbiage that aimed to pay off medical debt that was in collections.
Pennsylvania HB 79, which was introduced in January, was approved by the house in late May, sending it to the Senate Health & Human Services Committee. If passed, the bill would require the Department of Health to create, within 180 days of enactment:
- A single, plain-language financial-assistance application for use by every hospital.
- A one-page summary of eligibility criteria (income thresholds, asset limits, contact points).
- A short statement highlighting the availability of aid.
The bill would call for hospitals to give the summary to each patient at intake and discharge, print the statement on all bills, good faith estimates and admissions forms, and help applicants complete the paperwork on request. Once a patient submits an application, the hospital may not pursue payment until an eligibility decision is issued.
Pennsylvania HB 79 has transparency and reporting requirements. The full policies and the one-page summary must be posted on the hospital websites and be sent to the Department of Health for public display. Any facilities with aid programs would be required to file their policies and summaries with the Department of Health, which will publish them on its website.
Pennsylvania HB 79 is currently referred to the Senate Health & Human Services Committee. Americollect will continue to monitor this bill.
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