OK SB1306

The Division of Health Care Information within the State Department of Health must conduct an annual evaluation to determine if health outcomes differ between insured and uninsured patients at each hospital in Oklahoma.

Hospitals where uninsured patients experience statistically worse health outcomes than insured patients must be prohibited from charging patients more than 120% of current Medicare reimbursement rates for one year.

The charge limitation applies for a one-year period following identification of disparate health outcomes between insured and uninsured patient populations.

The bill becomes effective November 1, 2010.