A Colorado law aimed at reducing hospital fees for low-to-moderate income patients went into effect Sept. 1, according to CBS affiliate KREX.
According to the Aug. 31 report, the law requires hospitals to:
- Determine whether patients qualify for help paying bills.
- Offer discounts and affordable payment plans to patients who qualify based on income.
- Adhere to certain measures before sending unpaid hospital bills to collections.
- Inform patients of their rights.
All households with incomes at or less than 250 percent of the federal poverty level qualify, according to the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative.