OKLAHOMA CITY – House Bill 4148 authored by Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa, Rep. Mark Lepak, R-Claremore, and Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Oklahoma City, was recently signed into law by Governor Kevin Stitt. The new law ensures patients know the cost of common medical procedures and aren’t saddled with debt because they were unaware of what that procedure would cost.

Nearly one in four Oklahomans carry the burden of medical debt and it is the cause of at least 25% of bankruptcies in the state. This bill requires compliance with federal and state law requiring price transparency in common medical procedures and services. While some providers already do share cash pricing, many are lagging behind. With this bill, providers who are not compliant with price transparency laws will not be able to obtain a judgment for that medical debt. 

“I am hopeful that by strengthening our price transparency laws we can reduce the number of Oklahomans with medical debt. When seeking medical care for yourself or a loved one, you should be able to easily know the cost of the care so that you can make informed decisions just like we do with any other service,” Schreiber said. 

Patients' Rights Advocate Founder Cynthia Fisher said "We applaud Governor Stitt, Representative Schreiber and the entire Oklahoma Legislature on this great achievement that will benefit all healthcare consumers in Oklahoma. It will help protect patients, families and employers from overcharges and ensure that Oklahomans have the functional, competitive healthcare marketplace they deserve." 

“I am thrilled to have this policy in place to help Oklahomans with the real problems they face in everyday life. I am grateful to my colleagues Rep. Lepak and Sen. Daniels for helping get this done – it was truly a team effort. I know they join me in applauding Governor Stitt for signing the measure into law,” Schreiber said.