H.B. No. 416 Summary

• Health care providers must provide patients with reasonable, good faith cost estimates for scheduled services (those scheduled at least 7 days in advance) upon request, effective June 1, 2018.

• Cost estimates must specify the amount the provider expects to receive from the patient's insurance, the patient's out-of-pocket cost, include a disclaimer about estimate accuracy, and note if the provider is out-of-network.

• Health plan issuers must provide written cost estimates to patients when preauthorization is required for a service, sent immediately upon approval via mail, email, or text message.

• Estimates may be provided as ranges rather than specific dollar amounts and need not account for unexpected services or procedures that arise after the estimate is given.

• Health care providers and insurers are protected from liability for damages, criminal prosecution, or disciplinary action related to fulfilling these estimate requirements unless their conduct constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.