AB 282: Revises provisions relating to billing for health care. (BDR 40-785) - Nevada

Reprint 3 → As Enrolled · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill transitions from a draft version to its final enacted form, incorporating specific amendments to strengthen consumer protections against medical billing errors. The changes formalize the legal requirements for medical facilities to investigate and refund overcharges within 30 days and establish a 60-day timeline for issuing refunds, backed by administrative fines for non-compliance. Additionally, the bill expands the role of the Governor's Consumer Health Advocate to actively assist consumers in resolving billing disputes and reviewing erroneous charges.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on health care billing disputes, but the enactment status changes the document from a proposed draft to binding law with specific effective dates and session numbers.

TECHNICAL

The document format was updated from a 'Reprint 3' draft to the 'As Enrolled' final version, including the addition of the Governor's Consumer Health Advocate's duties and specific session identifiers.

REQUIREMENT

Medical facilities are now legally required to investigate patient complaints about overcharges and respond within 30 days, or advise the patient that more time is needed.

The Governor's Consumer Health Advocate is now explicitly tasked with reviewing medical bills consumers believe are erroneous and assisting them in addressing overcharges.

ENFORCEMENT

Administrative fines of up to 10% of the overpayment amount (capped at $5,000) are authorized for facilities that fail to refund overpayments within the required 60-day period.

As Introduced → Reprint 1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to specifically require medical facilities to respond when a patient notifies them of a billing error, rather than just when the facility discovers one internally. The changes add a new state office to assist consumers in disputes, mandate contact information sharing if a refund is denied, and introduce a 60-day timeline for refunding overpayments. Additionally, the penalty for non-compliance was narrowed to exclude other administrative sanctions, focusing solely on fines.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly cover situations where a patient notifies the provider of an error, and a new entity (Office for Consumer Health Assistance) was added to the process.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for medical facilities to respond to patients who notify them of specific billing errors, including providing contact info for a new consumer assistance office if no refund is offered.

Established a 60-day deadline for medical facilities to refund overpayments once an error is confirmed.

Removed the previous requirement for facilities to notify patients of the review process and results, replacing it with a direct response requirement.

ENFORCEMENT

Created a role for the Governor's Consumer Health Advocate to assist with medical billing disputes.

Modified the penalty structure for non-compliance to limit sanctions to administrative fines only, removing the option for other administrative penalties.

Reprint 2 → Reprint 3 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill update shifts from requiring medical facilities to refund overcharges to a new system where the Governor's Consumer Health Advocate reviews disputed bills and assists consumers. The administrative fine structure was simplified to a single 10% penalty capped at $5,000, and the legislative digest was reorganized to reflect these procedural changes.

Scope change

The bill's enforcement mechanism changed from facility-imposed refunds to a state-administered review process led by the Consumer Health Advocate.

ENFORCEMENT

Removed language authorizing administrative fines for failure to issue refunds within a certain period, replacing it with a requirement for the Governor's Consumer Health Advocate to review erroneous bills and assist consumers.

Simplified the administrative fine structure to a single 10% penalty of the overpayment amount, capped at $5,000, with no other administrative sanctions allowed.

TECHNICAL

Updated the Legislative Counsel's Digest to reflect the new review process and removed references to interest payments on overdue refunds from fine proceeds.

Changed the reprint designation from Second Reprint (May 19, 2025) to Third Reprint (June 2, 2025) to reflect amended versions.

Reprint 1 → Reprint 2 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was updated from its first reprint to a second reprint after amendments were adopted on May 19, 2025. The changes expand the bill's scope to include entities that bill for care provided by health care providers, not just medical facilities themselves. The amendments also clarify the enforcement mechanism by specifying that administrative fines will be imposed for failure to issue refunds within a certain period, and that interest on unpaid refunds will be paid from the proceeds of those fines.

Scope change

The bill now applies to entities that bill for care provided by health care providers, in addition to medical facilities, broadening the range of organizations subject to the billing error review requirements.

SCOPE

Expanded applicability from just medical facilities to include any entity that bills for care provided by a health care provider.

ENFORCEMENT

Added provision for payment of interest on unpaid refunds from the proceeds of administrative fines.

REQUIREMENT

Clarified that administrative fines apply to both medical facilities and billing entities that fail to issue refunds within the required timeframe.

Updated language to refer to 'overcharges' instead of 'billing errors' throughout the bill text and legislative digest.

Revises provisions relating to billing for health care. (BDR 40-785)

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