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Minutes for HB2825 - Committee on Insurance
Short Title
Enacting consumer protection related to hospital price transparency act.
Minutes Content for Mon, Mar 18, 2024
The Chair opened the hearing on HB2825. Assistant Revisor Ma gave and overview of the bill and stood for questions. (Attachment 1)
Questions from committee members included, but were not limited to the following issues:
- Federal mandates
- top 300 procedures to be coded
- hospital compliance with existing mandates addressing price transparency.
- additional costs due to unforeseen complications
Proponents in-person:
- Hayden Dublois, Opportunity Solutions Project.
Mr. Dublois cited numerous flaws in the current federal transparency mandate, specifically, compliance failure, lack of enforcement, and insubstantial penalties. (Attachment 2)
Proponents written only:
- William Wilk, Kansas Chamber (Attachment 3)
No neutrals were present
Opponents in-person included:
- Emerson Frazier, Stormont Vail Health (Attachment 4)
Ms. Frazier concentrated opponent testimony around the following points; HB2825 is redundant given existing federal legislation, emphasized the comprehensive nature of existing hospital transparency requirements, believes HB2825 is a solution in search of problem that does not exist, and would place a financial burden on hospitals.
- Jim Blackwell, Great Plains Health Alliance (Attachment 5)
Mr. Blackwell is of the understanding that no hospitals in the State have been fined for non-compliance, it takes time to adequately estimate costs, the bill duplicates a federal mandate, is unnecessary, and does nothing more for Kansas consumers.
- Nicole Milo, Mountain Region, Common Spirit Health (Attachment 6)
Ms. Milo disclosed Common Spirit Health's opposition to the following elements of the bill, codifying federal rule into state creates confusion, there is currently an arbitrator of compliance, bill is redundant, and compounds penalties.
- Sandra Dickerson, Greenwood County Hospital (Attachment 7)
Ms. Dickerson addressed the burden on small hospitals to maintain compliance with transparency, including, staffing issues,
Opponents - written only:
- Steve Kearney, Physician Hospitals of Kansas (Attachment 8)
- Joe Tallon, Salina Regional Health Center (Attachment 9)
- Jay Hall, Kansas Association of Counties (Attachment 10)
- Kevin Strecker, Ascension Via Christi (Attachment 11)
- Shannon Flach, Kansas Hospital Association (Attachment 12)
The Chair closed the hearing on HB2825.
