A bipartisan group of Texas Legislators has filed bills to empower the Texas Attorney General to stop “price-gouging” by freestanding emergency rooms. SB 866 and HB 1941 “would protect Texans from exorbitant charges in an emergency, make prices “unconscionable” if they are more than 200 percent over the average hospital charge for the same service, and allow the state to take action to stop freestanding ERs via restraining order against the facility if unconscionable prices. The penalty for overcharging the elderly could include be to $250,000.”
A different bill has been filed to “prohibit freestanding emergency rooms from using health plan logos, prohibit the words “take” and “accept” for patient’s insurance unless they are in-network, and would require facility and observation fees to the patient before anything is done.”