Bill > HB2405

This bill modifies Missouri's collateral source rule, which traditionally prevents evidence of payments from other sources (like insurance) from being considered in personal injury lawsuits. The bill now allows evidence of the actual cost of medical care, defined specifically as the amount actually paid by or on behalf of the plaintiff, including any remaining financial obligation or outstanding liens, after contractual discounts or write-offs. If a defendant or their insurer pays part of a plaintiff's special damages before trial, those paid damages cannot be recovered again in the lawsuit. At trial, the defendant who made such payments can receive a credit for those payments against the total judgment. Importantly, the bill prohibits introducing evidence of the full medical bill amount if that amount has been discounted, and instead requires showing only the actual amount paid. The bill also allows evidence of actual medical costs to be used in considering potential future treatment costs. This change aims to provide a more transparent and precise method of calculating damages in personal injury cases by focusing on the actual amounts paid rather than inflated billing amounts.