(Reprinted with amendments adopted on April 3, 2003)

 

Assembly Bill No. 70–Assemblywoman Giunchigliani

 

February 10, 2003

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Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor

 

SUMMARY—Limits certain fees which providers of health services that accept insurance payments may collect from patients. (BDR 40‑33)

 

FISCAL NOTE:  Effect on Local Government: No.

                           Effect on the State: No.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to providers of health services; limiting certain fees which providers of health services that accept insurance payments may collect from patients; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1  Section 1. Chapter 439B of NRS is hereby amended by adding

1-2  thereto a new section to read as follows:

1-3  1.  If a practitioner or health facility has entered into a written

1-4  agreement to accept any payment or reimbursement from an

1-5  insurer of a patient for the provision of any covered health

1-6  services to the patient, the practitioner or health facility shall not,

1-7  except as otherwise provided in this paragraph or another specific

1-8  statute, collect or seek to collect from the patient any fees or costs

1-9  relating to the particular covered health services for which the

1-10  practitioner or health facility agreed to accept payment or

1-11  reimbursement from the insurer. This paragraph does not prohibit

1-12  a practitioner or health facility from collecting or seeking to

1-13  collect from a patient:

1-14      (a) Any copayment, deductible or coinsurance required by the

1-15  insurer of the patient; or

1-16      (b) Any amount of the payment or reimbursement the

1-17  practitioner or health facility agreed to accept from the insurer of

2-1  the patient which, as the result of the failure of the patient to

2-2  obtain any preauthorization or to take any other action required

2-3  by the insurer, the insurer is not obligated to provide.

2-4  2.  For the purposes of this section:

2-5  (a) “Health services” has the meaning ascribed to it in

2-6  NRS 439A.017.

2-7  (b) “Insurer” means any person or state or local governmental

2-8  entity that, pursuant to any written agreement, pays or reimburses

2-9  any fees or costs for the provision of any health services to an

2-10  insured.

 

2-11  H