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HB 1612TEXASSession 89RState BillSigned into law

Enacted

Texas requires hospitals to accept direct cash payments from uninsured patients and caps those charges

Original title: Relating to direct payment for certain health care provided by a hospital.

Last action · June 20, 2025: Effective on 9/1/25Sponsors: James Frank and 2 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Does

Texas law now requires public and private hospitals to accept direct payment from patients who do not have health insurance, provided the patient requests it within 60 days of receiving a bill. The law caps the maximum amount a hospital can charge these direct-pay patients at either 25 percent above or 50 percent above the hospital's lowest contracted rate. This rule takes effect on September 1, 2025.

Why it matters

Uninsured residents paying out-of-pocket gain a legal right to settle hospital bills directly while receiving statutory caps on what facilities can charge them. Hospitals must adjust their billing systems to accommodate these direct payments and provide notice of this payment option on patient bills.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Hospitals

Hospitals must accept direct payments from non-enrolled patients upon request within 60 days and limit their pricing to specified statutory caps.

Directly affected

Uninsured patients

Uninsured patients gain the right to pay hospitals directly under statutory price caps and must be notified of this option on bills.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to use direct payment under this law?

Patients who are not s in a are eligible to request direct payment from a hospital.

How much time does a patient have to request direct payment after receiving a bill?

A patient must make the request not later than the 60th day after receiving a bill or final accounting of the service.

What limits exist on what a hospital can charge a direct-pay patient?

Hospitals can charge no more than 25 percent greater than the , or no more than 50 percent greater than the lowest contracted rate accepted by the hospital under a , excluding Medicaid, CHIP, and Medicare.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

57 actions

Jun 20, 2025Governor of TexasEnrolled
Effective on 9/1/25
Jun 20, 2025Governor of TexasEnrolled
Signed by the Governor
May 28, 2025Governor of TexasEnrolled
Sent to the Governor
May 27, 2025Senate
Signed in the Senate
May 27, 2025House
Signed in the House
May 26, 2025House
Reported enrolled

Show 51 earlier actions

May 25, 2025House
Senate passage reported
May 25, 2025SenateFloor
Record vote
May 25, 2025SenateFloor
Passed
May 25, 2025SenateFloor
Read 3rd time
May 25, 2025SenateFloor
Record vote
May 25, 2025Senate
Three day rule suspended
May 25, 2025Senate
Vote recorded in Journal
May 25, 2025SenateFloor
Read 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading
May 25, 2025Senate
Laid before the Senate
May 25, 2025Senate
Placed on local & uncontested calendar
May 15, 2025Senate
Committee report printed and distributed
May 15, 2025Senate
Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
May 15, 2025SenateCommittee
Reported favorably w/o amendments
May 14, 2025Senate
Vote taken in committee
May 14, 2025Senate
Considered in public hearing
May 14, 2025Senate
Co-sponsor authorized
May 13, 2025Senate
Left pending in committee
May 13, 2025Senate
Considered in public hearing
May 13, 2025Senate
Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
May 5, 2025SenateCommittee
Referred to Health & Human Services
May 5, 2025SenateIntroduced
Read first time
May 5, 2025Senate
Received from the House
May 1, 2025House
Reported engrossed
May 1, 2025House
Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 1, 2025HouseFloor
Record vote (RV#1146)
May 1, 2025HouseFloor
Passed
May 1, 2025HouseFloor
Read 3rd time
Apr 30, 2025House
Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
Apr 30, 2025HouseFloor
Record vote (RV#1108)
Apr 30, 2025HouseFloor
Passed to engrossment as amended
Apr 30, 2025House
Amended (2-Collier)
Apr 30, 2025House
Amended (1-Frank and Howard)
Apr 30, 2025House
Laid out as postponed business
Apr 30, 2025House
Postponed (4/30/25 4:45 PM)
Apr 30, 2025HouseFloor
Read 2nd time
Apr 30, 2025House
Placed on General State Calendar
Apr 28, 2025House
Considered in Calendars
Apr 25, 2025House
Committee report sent to Calendars
Apr 23, 2025House
Committee report distributed
Apr 23, 2025House
Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Apr 14, 2025HouseCommittee
Reported favorably as substituted
Apr 14, 2025House
Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 14, 2025House
Considered in public hearing
Apr 7, 2025House
Left pending in committee
Apr 7, 2025House
Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 7, 2025House
Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 7, 2025House
Considered in public hearing
Apr 7, 2025House
Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Mar 12, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to Public Health
Mar 12, 2025HouseIntroduced
Read first time
Dec 13, 2024HouseIntroduced
Filed

Version history

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What This Bill Does

Who It Affects

Key Facts

Frequently Asked Questions

News Coverage

Where This Stands

Procedural history

Version history

Voting Record

Lobbying Activity

Full breakdown

Sponsors

Connected Entities

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