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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Tony DeLuca |
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Deluca bill to end insurance payments to hospitals for medical errors approved by House Insurance Committee
HARRISBURG, Feb. 12 – The House Insurance Committee today approved legislation introduced by state Rep. Tony DeLuca, D-Allegheny, that would allow insurance companies to refuse payment to hospitals for the cost of medical infections and errors that occur at their facilities.
Medicare has already discontinued reimbursement to hospitals for the cost of medical-related infections and mistakes.
DeLuca, chairman of the House Insurance Committee, said his bill (H.B. 2098) would give Pennsylvania health insurers the right to refuse to pay bills for procedures correcting conditions that hospitals should have prevented in the first place.
"My bill would force hospitals to take the extra measures needed to reduce patient infections and medical errors because insurers would no longer pay for these costs," DeLuca said. "In addition, by saving insurance companies the cost of hospital mistakes, the legislation would reduce insurance premium costs for subscribers."
The Allegheny County lawmaker said he is hopeful that the legislation will soon be considered by the full House.
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