South Carolina General Assembly
123rd Session, 2019-2020

Download This Bill in Microsoft Word format

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

H. 4099

STATUS INFORMATION

House Resolution
Sponsors: Reps. Hardee, Johnson and Bailey
Document Path: l:\council\bills\jn\3011cz19.docx

Introduced in the House on February 27, 2019
Currently residing in the House Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions

Summary: Congressional Delegation; urge them to support consumer protections recommended by the Advisory Committee for Transparency in the air ambulance industry

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS 

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   2/27/2019  House   Introduced (House Journal-page 52)
   2/27/2019  House   Referred to Committee on Invitations and Memorial 
                        Resolutions (House Journal-page 52)

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

2/27/2019

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A HOUSE RESOLUTION

TO MEMORIALIZE THE SOUTH CAROLINA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION AND URGE THEM TO SUPPORT CONSUMER PROTECTIONS RECOMMENDED BY THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR TRANSPARENCY IN THE AIR AMBULANCE INDUSTRY.

Whereas, the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 prohibits states from regulating the price, route, or service of an air carrier for the purposes of keeping national commercial air travel competitive; and

Whereas, as a result, South Carolina consumers are experiencing the excessive charges billed by air ambulance providers and are unable to pass a law that would protect consumers from unreasonable bills as the state laws are preempted by the Airline Deregulation Act; and

Whereas, according to Consumer Reports, prices have spiked, with one of the largest operators of air ambulance services increasing the average amount they charge from $13,000 in 2007 to $50,200 in 2016; and

Whereas, air ambulance providers do not reveal the actual costs of their services, leading to opportunities ripe for price-gouging and unfair balance billing practices; and

Whereas, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 established an advisory committee to make recommendations to establish certain requirements for an air ambulance bill or invoice and other consumer protections; and

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives urges the South Carolina Congressional delegation to take charge and work to allow South Carolina the flexibility to protect consumers by regulating how air ambulance carriers are reimbursed and make information transparent to customers as a means to prevent unfair billing practices. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the House of Representatives, by this resolution, memorialize the South Carolina Congressional Delegation and urge them to support consumer protections recommended by the Advisory Committee for Transparency in the Air Ambulance Industry.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be provided to the members of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation.

----XX----


This web page was last updated on March 1, 2019 at 1:57 PM