,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #cchf  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,june #bj1 #bjai,mr4 
,collins of ,new ,york introduced the   
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1
 and in addition to the ,committee on   
,ways and ,means1 for a period to be    
subsequently determined by the ,speaker1
 in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the           
jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
,a ,,bill  ,to amend title ,,xi of the  
,social ,security ,act to require       
hospitals and critical access hospitals 
to provide uninsured individuals with   
access to the lowest negotiated rate for
 items and services furnished to such   
individuals4  #a4 ,short title ,this    
,act may be cited as the ,protect the   
,uninsured ,act of #bjai4  #b4          
,requiring hospitals and critical access
 hospitals to provide uninsured         
individuals with access to the lowest   
negotiated rate for items and services  

furnished to such individuals ,section  
#aabh;,a of the ,social ,security ,act  
7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acbj;a-#g;a7 is amended 
by adding at the end the following new  
subsection3  7t7  7#a7 ,any hospital or 
critical access hospital that1 with     
respect to an item or service furnished 
by such hospital or critical access     
hospital to an uninsured individual 7as 
defined in paragraph 7#b77 on or after  
the date that is #f months after the    
date of the enactment of this           
subsection1 holds such individual liable
 for an amount in excess of the lowest  
negotiated price 7as defined in such    
paragraph7 with respect to such item or 
service shall be subject to a civil     
monetary penalty in an amount equal to  
the difference between the amount such  
hospital or critical access hospital    
held such individual liable for with    
respect to such item or service and such
 lowest negotiated price4 ,the          
provisions of subsections 7c71 7d71 7g71
 and 7h7 shall apply to a civil monetary

 penalty under the preceding sentence in
 the same manner as such provisions     
apply to a penalty1 assessment1 or      
proceeding under subsection 7a74  7#b7  
,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,the term     
lowest negotiated price means1 with     
respect to a hospital or critical access
 hospital and an item or service1 the   
lowest recognized amount such hospital  
or critical access hospital has         
negotiated with any health insurance    
issuer or group health plan 7as such    
terms are defined in section #bgia of   
the ,public ,health ,service ,act7 with 
which such hospital or critical access  
hospital contracts for such item or     
service4  7,b7 ,the term uninsured      
individual means an individual who is   
not enrolled or otherwise covered under 
any health insurance coverage1 group    
health plan1 or ,federal health care    
program 7as defined in section          
#aabh;,b7f771 or under the health       
insurance program under chapter #hi of  
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4  4