Noem Signs Bill to Increase Hospital Billing Accountability

Pat Powers

Noem Signs Bill to Increase Hospital Billing Accountability
Signs Eight Bills on Variety of Topics

PIERRE, S.D. – Governor Kristi Noem yesterday signed SB70, a bill to increase accountability and fairness in medical billing practices.

“Because of a blind spot in the law, hospitals and other medical facilities have been able to leverage a patient’s horrible accident to add a few extra dollars to their bottom line,” said Noem. “This bill sets up a pro-patient approach, holding hospitals and medical facilities to a more accountable billing practice. This puts us one step closer to equal billing treatment for all patients.”

Under current law, hospitals and other medical facilities can refuse to bill insurance companies of patients who are potential plaintiffs in personal injury suits in order to ultimately get higher rates for service. SB70 amends current law to require hospitals to submit the patient’s medical bills to an insurer in the same manner as any other patient.

Governor Noem signed the following bills into law:

  • HB1032 – An act to revise provisions regarding money transmission
  • SB1 – An act to add a legislator to the membership of the Extraordinary Cost Oversight Board, to establish the board in statute, and to repeal the administrative rules creating the board
  • SB70 – An act to revise certain provisions regarding hospital liens
  • SB73 – An act to revise qualifications for sanitary district trustees
  • SB76 – An act to allow a candidate for legislative or county office to be considered for nomination to statewide office
  • SB 99 – An act to establish certain provisions regarding commercial security deposits
  • SB124 – An act to provide for the transportation of alcoholic beverages by retail licensees
  • SB154 – An act to authorize the production and transport of saltwater crustaceans

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4 thoughts on “Noem Signs Bill to Increase Hospital Billing Accountability”

    1. Is your animosity so great that you can’t give credit for a good bill to someone you hate?

      Are you a never-trumper too?

    1. Yes, it’s a good bill and evidence of that was that it had many cosponsors (including Lee Schoenbeck). Being somewhat nerdy about these things, I often look to a bill’s sponsors and cosponsors as one way to gauge how likely a bill is to advance in a legislative body.

      It would seem from the outside that the health systems and SDAHO chose not to oppose this one too strenuously, especially in the wake of the media coverage of the related lawsuit(s) last year.

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