FL S1612

Requires licensed health care facilities to provide itemized good faith estimates of charges for nonemergency medical services within 7 business days upon request or preregistration, including services by contracted providers who may bill separately.

Prohibits facilities and contracted health care providers from billing patients for services on the itemized estimate that are not covered by insurance unless the patient provides specific written consent; violations subject to $1,000 per occurrence fine.

Requires health insurers and health maintenance organizations to respond to policyholders and facilities within 3 business days of receiving an itemized estimate indicating coverage status of each item; failure to respond constitutes waiver of the insurer's right to contest the estimate.

Makes insurers solely liable for payment when they deny or reduce coverage based on medical necessity determinations that conflict with a provider's determination, unless the patient received both the itemized estimate and coverage status notification.

Imposes daily fines up to $10,000 for facilities and up to $5,000 for practitioners who fail to timely provide cost estimates, and requires disclosure of financial assistance policies and charity care procedures.