SB 162-Relating to Payment of Healthcare Claims

On Saturday, March 3rd, SB 162, by Senator Greg Steube (R-Sarasota) was read for a third time on the Senate floor after being temporarily postponed multiple times, and passed by a vote of 37 yeas to 0 nays.

This bill prohibits health insurers and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) from retroactively denying a claim at any time if the insurer or HMO verified the eligibility of an insured or subscriber at the time of treatment and provided an authorization number, regardless of if the insured has paid their premiums prior to that claim rendering them ineligible for coverage.

SB 162 is in House messages.

AIF opposes legislation removing insurers ability to retroactively deny claims, even those that have not paid their premiums. This legislation would raise costs on employers who would be required to pay health care expenses of people who are no longer employees, and consumers would bear the burden of paying the high costs of fraud, waste and abuse that would occur in the system.