An Indiana lawmaker is being honored for authoring a bill that benefits older Americans and their families. Congressman Todd Young of Bloomington authored the law that requires hospitals to inform patients and their families if they are there under observation but haven’t been formally admitted. The reason it matters is the cost. How much Medicare pays depends on whether a patient is formally admitted or just being watched by doctors. Sarah Waddle, state director for A-A-R-P Indiana says Young has been named a 2016 “Champion of the 50 Plus” because his legislation takes the sticker shock and surprise out of a hospital bill.
President Obama signed Young’s legislation called the “Notice Act.” It requires hospitals to give written notice that must include why the patient was not admitted to the hospital, and the financial implications of it.
Waddle says in an emergency, people don’t have time to think about cost, they just want their loved one to be taken care of.
A number of states, including Connecticut, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia required hospitals to give patients notice about observation care prior to Young’s bill
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