Iowans for Affordable Healthcare is drafting legislation that would require hospitals to notify patients about facility fees and could prohibit the fees for outpatient and telehealth visits, The Des Moines Register reported Sept. 15.
The proposal comes after patients reported higher healthcare costs following University of Iowa Health Care’s acquisition of Des Moines-based Mission Cancer + Blood. UI Health Care added hospital facility fees to bills for services provided through the cancer practice, according to the report.
Phil Jeneary, executive director of Iowans for Affordable Healthcare, said the organization is discussing the proposed restrictions with state legislators from both parties. The group plans to pursue the legislation during Iowa’s next legislative session.
“I think there will be a lot of support behind this,” Mr. Jeneary told the Register.
UI Health Care said it supports requiring hospitals to notify patients when facility fees are charged.
UIHC communications officials said that the organization supports the idea of more transparency.
“UI Health Care supports that every hospital should notify patients when they are charged hospital facility fees. To support patients, we have additional information on our website. This includes financial patient services for those with difficulty to pay,” the communication officials said in a statement to the Register.
The Iowa Hospital Association cautioned against eliminating the fees. President and CEO Chris Mitchell said hospitals rely on the revenue to support patient care and other services.
Nine states prohibit facility fees in certain care settings, and more than 20 have taken some action to regulate the charges, according to research from Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms.
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