Mary Felzkowski, Wisconsin State Senator for 12th District | Facebook
Mary Felzkowski, Wisconsin State Senator for 12th District | Facebook
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "price transparency in hospitals, restricting certain debt collection actions against patients, and providing a penalty. (FE)".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates that hospitals provide transparent pricing information through publicly accessible digital files. Each hospital must maintain a list of standard charges applicable to various services and make it available online without user restrictions. Definitions such as "standard charge," to include gross charge, specific charges negotiated with payers, and discounted cash prices, are provided. The Department of Health Services (DHS) is tasked with enforcement, ensuring compliance with both state and federal transparency laws. The bill also establishes criteria for updating and accessing these lists yearly and requires consumer-friendly lists of charges for at least 300 shoppable services. Hospitals failing to comply may face penalties, including notifications, corrective action requests, and public listings of non-compliance. Additionally, parties seeking to collect hospital-related debts must certify hospital compliance before obtaining a court judgment. The effective date is set for the first day of the fourth month following publication.
The bill was co-authored by Rep. Robert Wittke (Republican-63rd District), Sen. Rob Hutton (Republican-5th District), Sen. Chris Larson (Democrat-7th District), Sen. Steve L. Nass (Republican-11th District), and Sen. Cory Tomczyk (Republican-29th District). It was co-sponsored by Rep. Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), Rep. Robert Brooks (Republican-59th District), and Rep. Bob G. Donovan (Republican-61st District), along with eight other co-sponsors.
Mary Felzkowski has authored or co-authored another 16 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with one of them being enacted.
Felzkowski graduated from the University of Wisconsin, River Falls in 1986 with a BS.
Felzkowski, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2021 to represent the state's 12th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Tom Tiffany.
In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| SB383 | 08/11/2025 | Price transparency in hospitals, restricting certain debt collection actions against patients, and providing a penalty. (FE) |
| SB371 | 07/09/2025 | Explaining pregnancy, prenatal development, and childbirth as part of a human growth and development instructional program. (FE) |
| SB358 | 06/27/2025 | Fees charged for certain coroner or medical examiner services. (FE) |
| SB339 | 06/19/2025 | The weight limit for utility terrain vehicles |
| SB296 | 05/30/2025 | Enumeration of projects in the Authorized State Building Program, modifications to building program project budgets, selection of project architects and engineers, single prime contracting, agency cooperation with energy conservation contractors, timeline for claims before the Claims Board, and making a transfer to the state building trust fund. (FE) |
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