Bill > SB975

This bill modifies the provisions relating to the admissibility of evidence of collateral source payments in civil cases. The key changes are: 1) It specifies that if a defendant or their insurer pays all or part of the plaintiff's special damages prior to trial, the plaintiff cannot recover those amounts from the defendant. The defendant is entitled to a credit for such payments against any judgment. 2) It allows any party to introduce evidence of the actual cost of medical care or treatment rendered to the plaintiff, which is defined as the amount paid by or on behalf of the plaintiff, plus any remaining obligation necessary to satisfy the financial obligation after adjustments for contractual discounts, price reductions, or write-offs. The amount billed cannot be introduced if it has been discounted or satisfied by a lower payment. 3) It allows the actual cost of medical care and any discounts to be admitted as evidence relevant to the potential cost of future treatment of the same type. The purpose of these changes is to limit the plaintiff's ability to recover collateral source payments and to ensure the jury sees the actual, reasonable costs of medical care rather than the billed amounts.