REFERENCE TITLE: health insurance; surprise billing; disputes

 

 

 

 

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

First Regular Session

2025

 

 

 

SB 1626

 

Introduced by

Senators Werner: Angius, Carroll, Gowan, Shamp, Shope

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Act

 

amending section 20-3117, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to the timely payment of claims.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 


Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 20-3117, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE20-3117. Dispute resolution; notice of rights

A. The department in conjunction with the appropriate health care boards shall prescribe the notice outlining an enrollee's rights to dispute surprise out-of-network bills under this article.

B. Health insurers shall include the notice prescribed pursuant to subsection A of this section in each explanation of benefits or other similar claim adjudication notice that is issued to enrollees and that involves covered services provided by a noncontracted health care provider.  This subsection applies only to claims that are not subject to an independent dispute resolution pursuant to the no surprises act (P.L. 116-120; 134 stat. 2758; 42 united states code section 201).

C. If an enrollee contacts a health care provider, a provider's representative or a billing company regarding a dispute involving a surprise out-of-network bill that is not subject to an independent dispute resolution pursuant to the no surprises act (P.L. 116-120; 134 stat. 2758; 42 united states code section 201), the health care provider, the provider's representative or the billing company shall provide written notice as prescribed in subsection A of this section to the enrollee of the dispute resolution process.

D. The department shall post on its website information for health care consumers regarding what constitutes a surprise out-of-network bill, how to try to avoid a surprise out-of-network bill and how the dispute resolution process may be used to resolve a surprise out-of-network bill. END_STATUTE