In 2020, a new law will require Connecticut hospitals to tell the state how much they much they charge for health emergencies.
The measure is part of a bipartisan package of consumer protections that aim to lower health care costs.
It would establish a standard for insurance coverage of emergency department visits. So if a person believes they are having a health emergency, like a heart attack, insurers cannot deny coverage -- even if doctors diagnose the person’s condition as not serious.
The law also prohibits the surprise billing for laboratory fees and prescription drugs. It also creates a task force to study high-deductible health plans.
Before the law passed, 11 of the 12 emergency trauma centers in the state did not reveal costs for their services.