CS/CS/HB 1067 - Health Care Expenses

• Creates personal property exemptions from legal process for medical debts owed to licensed facilities, protecting up to $10,000 in a motor vehicle or $10,000 in personal property for non-homesteaders.

• Requires licensed facilities to post consumer-friendly lists of standard charges for at least 300 shoppable health care services on their websites and provide written cost estimates to patients within 7 business days of request (or 3 business days for services scheduled 10+ days in advance).

• Limits facility charges to no more than 110 percent of the provided cost estimate, with written explanations required for excess charges due to unforeseen circumstances; facilities failing to provide timely estimates face $1,000 daily fines up to $10,000 per patient.

• Requires health insurers to provide advanced explanations of benefits within 1 business day of receiving patient estimates from facilities and establishes internal grievance processes allowing patients to dispute charges with facility responses due within 7 business days.

• Prohibits "extraordinary collection actions" (debt sales, credit reporting, liens, wage garnishment, lawsuits) for medically necessary care until reasonable financial assistance eligibility determination, itemized billing, and 30-day written notice requirements are met.