Gov. Perdue asked the state legislature to allocate $100,000 to the North Carolina Institute of Medicine for a study on how providers can better help patients understand hospital prices and bills. That study would be completed by early 2013 if her request is approved.
The governor is also expected to introduce a proposal next week that would require hospitals to share the details of their charity care programs with patients and make such information more readily available. Hospitals would have to print the charity care information on bills and publicly post its financial assistance policy.
The changes follow a wave of scrutiny over North Carolina’s non-profit hospitals in recent weeks. Consumer advocates have urged for state lawmakers to establish more laws to make hospitals more patient-friendly.
More Articles on Hospital Transparency:
Patient Advocates Demand Transparency Laws for North Carolina Hospitals
In North Carolina, Hospital Profits Outpace Charity Care
8 Steps to Building a Truly Transparent Hospital
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