{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-1-725.17","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 63, § 63-1-725.17","heading":"Noncompliance — Patient collection protections","body":"A. A hospital that is not in material compliance with this act\n\non the date that items or services are purchased from or provided to\n\na patient by the hospital shall not initiate or pursue collection\n\naction against the patient or patient guarantor for a debt owed for\n\nthe items or services.\n\nB. If a patient believes that a hospital was not in material\n\ncompliance with this act on a date on or after the effective date of\n\nthis act that items or services were purchased by or provided to the\n\npatient, and the hospital takes a collection action against the\n\npatient or patient guarantor, the patient or patient guarantor may\n\nfile suit to determine if the hospital was materially out of\n\ncompliance with this act on the date of service and if the\n\nnoncompliance is related to the items or services. The hospital\n\nshall not take a collection action against the patient or patient\n\nguarantor while the lawsuit is pending.\n\nC. A hospital that has been found by a judge or jury to be\n\nmaterially out of compliance with this act:\n\n1. Shall refund the payor any amount of the debt the payor has\n\npaid and shall pay a penalty to the patient or patient guarantor in\n\nan amount equal to the total amount of the debt;\n\n2. Shall dismiss or cause to be dismissed any court action with\n\nprejudice and pay any reasonable attorney fees and costs incurred by\n\nthe patient or patient guarantor relating to the action; and\n\n3. Shall remove or cause to be removed from the patient’s or\n\npatient guarantor’s credit report any report made to a consumer\n\nreporting agency relating to the debt.\n\nD. Nothing in this act:\n\n1. Prohibits a hospital from billing a patient, patient\n\nguarantor, or third-party payor, including a health insurer, for\n\nitems or services provided to the patient; or\n\n2. Requires a hospital to refund any payment made to the\n\nhospital for items or services provided to the patient, as long as\n\nno collection action is taken in violation of this act.","path":["OK Code","Title 63"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os63.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"32418e013b640518f3eb8aa56b83d8d5d4a11176e983e06f9e7152e6046cbcf9","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-1-725.16","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-1-725.2"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}