Bill > H3920

This bill aims to protect access to confidential healthcare by requiring health insurance carriers to develop and use a common summary of payments form, which is a document detailing a consumer's financial responsibility for healthcare claims. This form must be easily readable and understandable, and carriers will be able to exchange it electronically. Importantly, the bill allows insured individuals, or those legally authorized to consent to their care, to choose how they receive these forms, including delivery to a specific address or electronic access, with specific protections for minors authorized to consent to certain care. Carriers will not be required to issue a form if the claim is solely for a co-payment, but must provide one upon request. The bill also prohibits carriers from identifying descriptions of sensitive health care services on these forms, with the state division defining what constitutes a sensitive service after consulting experts and considering national standards. Furthermore, insured individuals can request to suppress these forms for specific services without needing to explain their reasons, and these rights must be clearly communicated in policy documents and on the carrier's website. The bill also mandates the development of educational plans for providers and consumers regarding these new rights and responsibilities, with specific timelines for the implementation of these provisions.