CS/HB 1157 - Freestanding Emergency Departments

• Defines "hospital-based off-campus emergency department" as a facility providing emergency services owned and operated by a licensed hospital on separate premises from the main hospital.

• Prohibits hospital-based off-campus emergency departments from marketing themselves as urgent care centers and requires prominent external signage identifying them as "EMERGENCY" or "ER" departments.

• Requires conspicuous signs (minimum 2 square feet, 36-point font) posted at facility entrances and waiting areas stating "THIS IS A HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT" and disclosing facility fees and potential out-of-network provider status.

• Mandates the Agency for Health Care Administration post information on its website describing differences between hospital emergency departments and urgent care centers, updated annually, with hospitals required to link to this information on their websites.

• Requires health insurers to post information on their websites about appropriate emergency care utilization, including cost comparisons and interactive tools to locate urgent care centers; effective July 1, 2021.