Mga medical bill error at inyong karapatan sa Washington

Batas ng estado ng Washington

Washington health care charge estimate on request

Washington requires health care providers and facilities to furnish a patient, on request, an estimate of the fees and charges for a specific service, visit, or stay, along with information about other fees the patient may incur; a hospital may satisfy this with a statement and contact information.

Kung ano ang maaari ninyong gawin: Request the estimate of fees and charges before care where possible, then reconcile each line item and code on the final itemized bill against the services received and the estimate provided.

Citation: RCW 70.01.030 · epektibo simula 2009-07-26

Batas Federal

No Surprises Act good-faith estimate & patient-provider dispute

Uninsured and self-pay patients are entitled to a good-faith estimate of expected charges before scheduled care. If the final bill from a provider exceeds the good-faith estimate by at least $400, the patient may initiate the patient-provider dispute resolution (PPDR) process.

Kung ano ang maaari ninyong gawin: Compare the good-faith estimate to the final charges; where the bill exceeds the estimate by $400 or more, dispute the coding and charges and, if applicable, initiate the federal patient-provider dispute resolution process within 120 days of the bill.

Citation: No Surprises Act, PHS Act § 2799B-6; 45 C.F.R. § 149.610–.620 · epektibo simula 2022-01-01

Batas Federal

Section 501(r) financial-assistance & charity-care policy

Tax-exempt nonprofit hospitals must maintain a written financial-assistance policy (FAP), limit amounts charged to FAP-eligible patients to no more than amounts generally billed (AGB) to insured patients, and refrain from extraordinary collection actions before making reasonable efforts to determine FAP eligibility.

Kung ano ang maaari ninyong gawin: Apply for financial assistance under the hospital's FAP within the application period (at least 240 days from the first post-discharge billing statement) and require charges be limited to amounts generally billed.

Citation: 26 U.S.C. § 501(r); Treas. Reg. § 1.501(r)-4, -5, -6 · epektibo simula 2016-01-01

Batas Federal

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act — debt validation

When a debt is with a third-party collector, the consumer may dispute the debt and request validation. On a timely written dispute, the collector must cease collection until it mails verification of the debt.

Kung ano ang maaari ninyong gawin: Send a written debt-validation request disputing the debt; the collector must cease collection activity until it mails verification of the debt.

Citation: Fair Debt Collection Practices Act § 809, 15 U.S.C. § 1692g · epektibo simula 1977-09-20

Kung saan mag-report ng billing problem sa Washington

Kung ang isang hospital o insurer ay hindi magsasagawa ng pagwawasto ng isang bill na nag-break sa rules sa itaas, maaari ninyong i-report ito sa mga government offices na nag-enforce sa kanila. Ang pag-file ng isang complaint ay libre, at ang mga offices na ito ay maaaring makita ng mga pattern kahit hindi nila malulutas ang isang single bill. Ang pag-report ay hindi isang garantiya ng anumang resulta, at ito ay pangkalahatang impormasyon, hindi legal advice.

Mga ahensya ng Washington

• Washington Attorney General — File a Complaint
• Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner — File a Complaint

Federal na tulong

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) — submit a complaint about medical bills or debt collection
• No Surprises Act help (federal CMS) — surprise bills and good-faith estimates

Iniisip ninyo na ang batas mismo ay dapat mas malakas? Maaari ninyong hanapin at makipag-ugnayan sa inyong Washington state legislators upang ibahagi ang inyong karanasan.