Senators want to change health care service cost notification [Valley Gazette]

Article as it appeared in the Valley Gazette

State sens. Kevin Kelly and Ted Kennedy, Jr. are proposing legislation that would require health care providers to notify patients of the costs for routine health services.

Kelly is a Republican who represents the 21st District which includes Seymour.

The proposed bill, which had a public hearing before the General Assembly’s Public Health Committee in March, would make healthcare costs more transparent and allow patients to make informed decisions when planning for medical treatments and care.

“People have a right to know how much everyday healthcare procedures cost,” said Kelly in testimony to the state Public Health Committee. “To properly support patient driven and patient centered healthcare, people need to be equipped with information to help them make informed decisions about their care.”

This legislation would require health care providers to post standard and customary prices for routine services. The goal of this legislation is to help patients better manage medical expenses, make informed choices when it comes to care, and give people the tools needed to calculate the actual cost of care, including total copays, deductibles and any additional expenses.

“Connecticut is far behind in providing meaningful price and quality transparency. The shifting healthcare landscape is increasingly difficult to navigate and the cost of care is increasingly burdensome to people across the state. By providing patients with information about costs for routine services, patients can be better informed, better prepared and better able to make important choices concerning the care they need to stay healthy,” said Kelly.

For more information on the bill, visit the CGA website and search for Proposed Senate Bill No. 687.