HB391 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Ben RobbinsRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Workers' Compensation; allow health care providers to bill private insurance

Summary

HB391 lets employer-approved health care providers bill an injured employee’s private health insurance for medically necessary care, with the workers' compensation insurer reimbursing the insurer if paid.

What This Bill Does

If the injured employee has private health insurance, authorized providers may submit the certified medical care to the health plan. If the health plan pays, the employer’s workers’ compensation insurer reimburses the health plan and also reimburses the employee for out-of-pocket costs like deductibles and copays. If the health plan refuses to pay, the employer must pay the amount due for the certified care under Alabama law. The bill also clarifies that it does not create new rights for employers to sue health plans, does not allow subrogation, does not require employees to use in-network providers, and does not impose new duties on health plans beyond existing Department of Labor rules. It becomes effective October 1, 2024.

Who It Affects

• Injured employees with private health insurance: their care can be billed to their health plan, and they may be reimbursed for out-of-pocket costs if the plan pays.
• Employers, workers' compensation insurers, and private health plans: the system shifts some payment interactions—plans pay first and are reimbursed by workers' comp if applicable, or the employer pays if the plan denies—while certain rights and duties are limited.

Key Provisions

• Authorized providers may bill an employee's health insurance plan for certified medical care related to a workers' compensation injury.
• If the health plan pays, the employer's workers' compensation insurer reimburses the health plan and reimburses the employee for out-of-pocket costs (deductibles, copays, coinsurance).
• If the health plan refuses to pay, the employer must pay the amount due for the certified medical care under Alabama law.
• The bill prevents new rights for employers to sue health plans, subrogation rights, or forcing employees to use network providers; it also clarifies that any new duties on health plans are limited by existing contracts, laws, and Department of Labor rules; effective October 1, 2024.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Labor & Employment