2019 House Bill 4459 / 2020 Public Act 234

Restrict excessive charges for emergency medical care

Introduced in the House

April 16, 2019

Introduced by Rep. Roger Hauck (R-99)

To prohibit hospital emergency rooms or other emergency medical care providers from charging a person whose health insurance provider does not have a negotiated deal with the provider more than 125 percent of what the insurer would pay to a provider with whom it had negotiated discounts for its customers.

Referred to the Committee on Health Policy

Nov. 7, 2019

Reported without amendment

Refer to the Committee on Ways and Means with the recommendation that the substitute (H-2) be adopted.

Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

June 24, 2020

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the substitute (H-6) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

Substitute offered by Rep. Jon Hoadley (D-60)

To adopt an unpublished substitute that presumably reflects different preferences on the issue.

The substitute failed by voice vote

Passed in the House 101 to 5 (details)

To prohibit hospital emergency rooms or other emergency medical care providers from charging a person whose health insurance provider does not have a negotiated deal with the provider more than the average amount negotiated by the patient’s insurer, or more than 150% of the Medicare fee for service fee, with various exceptions.

Received in the Senate

June 25, 2020

Referred to the Committee on Health Policy and Human Services

Sept. 9, 2020

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the substitute (S-4) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

Sept. 30, 2020

Passed in the Senate 32 to 6 (details)

To prohibit hospital emergency rooms or other emergency medical care providers from charging a person whose health insurance provider does not have a negotiated deal with the provider more than the median amount negotiated by the patient’s insurer for various medical specialties, or more than 150% of the Medicare fee for service fee, with various exceptions.

Received in the House

Sept. 30, 2020

Oct. 13, 2020

Passed in the House 97 to 6 (details)

To concur with the House-passed version of the bill.

Signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Oct. 22, 2020