HI HCR225

Urges the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and major medical insurance providers to create penalties or disincentives for non-emergency emergency room visits.

Identifies emergency room visits as six times more expensive than regular office visits and notes that unnecessary visits increase health care costs passed to taxpayers.

Proposes imposing fines, co-payments, or sanctions against patients who abuse emergency room services, citing studies showing co-payments reduce emergency room usage by 20-40 percent.

Directs copies of the resolution to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Director of Human Services, and the Insurance Commissioner.