An Act providing for patient access to clear health care information; and requiring plain-language summaries of coverage, prior authorization and appeal rights.
This bill, known as the Patient Right-to-Understand Act, requires health care entities in Pennsylvania to provide patients with clear, plain-language summaries of their insurance coverage, prior authorization rules, and appeal rights. These summaries must be written at a sixth-grade reading level, limited to two pages, and include details on costs, network restrictions, and payment options like cash pricing or health savings accounts. The law also mandates that providers clearly distinguish between what insurance covers and medical decisions made solely between a patient and their doctor. As an enforcement measure, health care entities that fail to comply with these disclosure requirements are prohibited from collecting debts from patients who dispute the care they received.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Apr 17, 2026
Last action Apr 17, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
1
Key actions
0
Committee
1
Apr 17, 2026
Committee
Referred to Health & Human Services
upper
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Dawn Keefer
RRepublican
Co
Elder Vogel
RRepublican
Co
Jarrett Coleman
RRepublican
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