HB279 Alabama 2021 Session

Sponsors

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Hospitals, require hospitals to bill an injured person's health insurance and only seek compensation from health insurance unless certain circumstances apply, clarifying hospital lien provisions, Sec. 27-12-25 added; Sec. 35-11-371 am'd.

Description

Under existing law, a hospital is prohibited from perfecting a lien against an injured person if the person is covered by health insurance, unless certain specified conditions precedent are met.

This provision may be superseded by a contractual agreement between a hospital and the injured person's health insurance.

This bill would delete the provision allowing a contract between a hospital and an insured to supersede the conditions required to be met before the perfection of a hospital lien against an injured party.

This bill would also provide that a health insurance company or other entity which pays for health services would be prohibited from denying, delaying, or deferring payment for health care services on behalf of an insured based on the injured party having a possible claim for damages against a third party.

Relating to health insurance and health care payors for health care services; to amend Section 35-11-371 of the Code of Alabama 1975, as amended by Act 2019-273, 2019 Regular Session, providing for the circumstances under which a hospital may perfect a lien against an injured person; to delete a provision allowing a contractual agreement between a hospital and the injured person's health insurance or other health care payor to supersede this law; to prohibit an insurer or other health care payor from denying, delaying, or deferring payment on a claim for payment to an injured party based on the injured party being treated for injuries received under circumstances that may give rise to a claim against a third party; and to provide that this act would be prospective in operation.

Subjects

Hospitals