A new bill has been introduced in the Wisconsin Senate which would impose strict hospital price transparency requirements and block certain debt collection actions against patients if the hospital fails to comply.
The big picture: SB 383 would require hospitals to make public, in clear, searchable, and machine-readable formats, both:
- A full list of “standard charges” for all services, including gross charges, payer-specific negotiated rates, discounted cash prices, and de-identified min/max negotiated rates.
- A “consumer-friendly” list for at least 300 shoppable services (or all they offer if fewer), with plain-language descriptions and pricing.
The lists must be:
- Updated at least annually.
- Accessible without logins, personal data entry, or paywalls.
- Indexed by search engines.
Enforcement: The Department of Health Services (DHS) would monitor compliance through complaints, audits, and review of submitted lists. If violations are found, DHS could:
- Issue notices and require corrective action plans.
- Impose penalties of $600–$10,000 per day depending on hospital size.
- Maintain a public list of noncompliant hospitals.
Debt collection impact: Any party seeking judgment on a hospital debt must certify under oath that the hospital was in compliance with price transparency requirements at the time of certification. Without this certification, judgment cannot be entered.
Between the lines: This requirement ties legal enforceability of hospital debt directly to regulatory compliance, effectively creating a gatekeeping mechanism. Collectors will need to:
- Check DHS’s public list before initiating lawsuits.
- Adjust workflows to ensure certifications are accurate.
