HB 2736 — Requiring hospitals to screen all patients for eligibility for such hospital's financial assistance program or charity care policy.

AsAmended by House Committee Session of 2026 HOUSE BILLNo.

requiring non-disproportionate share hospitals to screen uninsured patients for eligibility for such hospital's financial assistance programs or charity care policy.

Section 1. (a) Using the process prescribed by the Kansas department of health and environment, a non-disproportionate share hospital shall screen all uninsured patients for eligibility of such hospital's financial assistance program and charity care policy.

AAhospital hospital shall not pursue debt collections from any patient's accountaccount: until the hospital verifies that such patient is not eligible for the hospital's financial assistance program or charity care policy.

(1) Garnish the wages of a patient;

or (2) report or authorize a third-party debt collector to report medical financial information or debt to any credit bureau until the hospital verifies that such patient is not eligible for the hospital's financial assistance program or charity care policy.

Such screening may be conducted by a third-party vendor with demonstrated experience in conducting such medical charity care and financial eligibility screening.

(1) Conduct the screening not later than 90 days post-discharge and apply any charity care discounts or full cost coverage for which the patient qualifies before sending a bill to such patient;

(d) A patient may apply for charity care appeal an adverse determination if the patient was screened for eligibility and is was found ineligible or the patient disagrees with the amount of the charity care discount.HB 2736—Am.

by HC 2 discount.

(1) Refund the amount of charity care for which the patient qualified;qualified any amount paid by the patient that exceeds the actual amount owed;

HB 2736 2 and (2) reimburse any other associated reasonable costs, such as legal expenses and fees, incurred by the patient in securing charity care.

(f) If the hospital sold medical debt based on an incorrect determination to a collection agency or authorized a collection agency to collect such debt on behalf of the hospital, the hospital shall notify the collection agency that such debt is invalid.invalid and take measures to ensure that the patient's credit report has been corrected within 90 calendar days.

(g) Aperson who is aggrieved by a violation of this section may bring a civil action against the hospital for injunctive relief and damages.damagesAs used in this section, a non-disproportionate share hospital is a healthcare facility that does not meet the specific federal or state medicaid or medicare criteria for treating a high volume of low-income uninsured or medicaid-eligible patients.