This post was originally published on this site.
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Kansas House Committee on Insurance heard testimony on House Bill 2736, a proposal that would require hospitals to screen every patient for financial assistance eligibility, even if they don’t ask for help.
Most Kansas hospitals already offer charity care, but under the bill, screening would become mandatory statewide, affecting facilities in urban areas such as Topeka and rural communities alike.
In written testimony, Peter Pitts, president of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, said “At its core, HB 2736 reinforces a simple but powerful principle: charity care should be the default consideration, not an afterthought raised only once a patient is already facing collections, lawsuits, or damaged credit.”
Advertisement
Advertisement
‘Poorly drafted bill’: Kansas gov. vetoes controversial ‘bathroom bill’
Hospital leaders voiced concerns about privacy and workload. Tara Mays of the Kansas Hospital Association said patients may feel uncomfortable discussing finances with front-desk staff they know personally.
“The person that is sitting at the front desk or taking your paperwork, they might be your friend or your neighbor, and you may not want to disclose to that person your financial status,” Mays said. “It may work better for you to really intervene in those areas when you’re in the billing process in a less vulnerable way.”
Mays also warned that mandatory screenings could increase paperwork and administrative strain.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Lawmakers have not yet voted on the bill.
For more Kansas Capitol Bureau news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.