Relating to itemized billing for health care services and supplies provided by health care providers.

Contracts

• Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) Vendors: You must amend Master Services Agreements (MSAs) immediately. Require vendors to certify that their software can distinguish between "active" and "inactive" portal users.
• Indemnification Clauses: Update vendor contracts to include indemnification for legal defense costs if a software failure to mail a bill results in a licensing board investigation against your practice.
• Collection Agencies: Update agreements to prohibit collections activity on accounts where the initial itemized bill delivery cannot be verified under the new HB216 standards.

Hiring/Training

• Billing Staff: Train staff on the new "30-day trigger." Itemized bills must be sent within 30 days of third-party adjudication.
• Front Desk: Staff must be trained to provide immediate, on-demand itemized bills for any patient request during the retention period.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Delivery Audit Trails: You must configure your systems to generate a log for every bill issued. The log must prove either:
• 1. The patient had an "active" portal profile at the exact time of issuance; or
• 2. The bill was sent via US Mail/email.
• Returned Mail Logs: To utilize the "Good Faith Defense," you must retain records of returned mail.

Fees & Costs

• Postage Budget: Anticipate a 10-15% increase in postage costs as "inactive" portal users are forced back to paper billing.
• Software Upgrades: Potential one-time costs to upgrade practice management software to handle the "active profile" logic gate.