§2010. Itemized statement of billed services by hospitals

           Not later than ten business days after the date of discharge, each hospital in the state which is licensed by the Louisiana Department of Health shall have available an itemized statement of billed services for individuals who have received the services from the hospital. The availability of the statement shall be made known to each individual who receives service from the hospital before the individual is discharged from the hospital, and a duplicate copy of the billed services statement shall be presented to each patient within the specified ten day period. No insurance company, employee benefit trust, self-insurance plan, or other entity which is obligated to reimburse the individual or to pay for him or on his behalf the charges for the services rendered by the hospital shall pay those benefits to the individual when the itemized statement submitted to such entity clearly indicates that the individual's rights to those benefits have been assigned to the hospital. When any insurance company, employee benefit trust, self-insurance plan, or other entity has notice of such assignment prior to such payment, any payment to the insured shall not release said entity from liability to the hospital to which the benefits have been assigned, nor shall such payment be a defense to any action by the hospital against that entity to collect the assigned benefits. However, an interim statement shall be provided when requested by the patient or his authorized agent.

           Acts 1986, No. 1036, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1987; Acts 1989, No. 475, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1990.