(1) As used in this section: (a) Financial assistance policy means a policy that meets the requirements of section 501(r) of the Internal Revenue Code and implementing regulations. (b) Hospital has the meaning given that term in ORS 442.015. (c) Nonprofit has the meaning given that term in ORS 442.612. (2) A hospital shall have a written financial assistance policy that complies with the plain language standards for consumer contracts under ORS 180.545 (1). (3) A hospital shall: (a) Provide a paper copy of the financial assistance policy and an application form to apply for financial assistance to a patient upon request; (b) Include on each billing statement, on the hospitals website home page and on any website where the patient pays a bill or accesses information about the patients account, a prominently displayed notice of: (A) The availability of financial assistance; (B) The contact information for the office or department of the hospital that can provide information about obtaining financial assistance; and (C) The Internet address for the financial assistance policy and the Internet address where an application for financial assistance may be accessed, completed and submitted online, including on a mobile device; (c) Accept an application for financial assistance that is submitted: (A) In an online application; or (B) Sent by mail to or submitted in person at the hospitals address as shown on the application; and (d) Maintain public displays in locations in the hospital that are accessible to the public that notify and inform patients about the financial assistance policy. Locations that are accessible to the public include but are not limited to the emergency department, if any, and the areas where patient admissions are processed. (4)(a) A nonprofit hospitals application for financial assistance, when completed by a resident of this state: (A) May require the resident to provide only: (i) The patients household income, for purposes of ORS 442.614; and (ii) Information about any third party that may be liable for the cost of the services, as permitted by ORS 646A.677. (B) Must clearly mark as optional any other information, including information about the patients assets. (b) A nonprofit hospital may not use information other than information listed in paragraph (a) of this subsection to deny financial assistance to a resident of this state. (c) This subsection does not prohibit: (A) A hospital from requiring a patient to respond to requests from the patients insurer as needed for the insurer to adjudicate the hospitals claim for reimbursement, as permitted by ORS 646A.677; or (B) A nonprofit hospital from requiring a patient to provide information that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requires the hospital to collect for the purpose of cost reporting. Note: 442.610 to 442.630 were enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but were not added to or made a part of ORS chapter 442 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.
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