A an area hospital leader was at the Statehouse Tuesday, talking with lawmakers about how health insurance payments impact rural hospitals and patients.

Justin D. Harris, CEO of Daviess Community Hospital, spoke in support of House Bill 1271. The bill focuses on issues such as retroactive claim denials, delayed payments, and insurer recoupments.

Harris told lawmakers those practices create financial uncertainty for rural hospitals, which already operate on narrow margins. He said Daviess Community Hospital spends significant staff time appealing claims, costing the hospital hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.

Harris said more predictable and transparent payments would help hospitals maintain essential services and focus on patient care.

House Bill 1271 was authored by Julie McGuire and remains under review by the House Insurance Committee.