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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>62732</law_id><section_number>8.01-413.01</section_number><catch_line>Authenticity and reasonableness of medical bills; presumption</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>16.1-88.2</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="8.01">Civil Remedies and Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="14">Evidence</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="7">Medical Evidence</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> For the purposes of this section, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">bill</span>&#x201D; means any statement of charges, an invoice, or any other form prepared by a health care provider or its agent, or third-<span class="dictionary">party</span> agent, identifying the costs of health care services provided. <a id="paragraph-228744" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-413.01/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> In any <span class="dictionary">action</span> for personal injuries, wrongful death, or for medical expense benefits payable under a motor vehicle insurance policy issued pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Motor vehicle" href="/38.2-124/">38.2-124</a> or &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Provisions for payment of medical expense and loss of income benefits; assignment of certain benefits" href="/38.2-2201/">38.2-2201</a>, the authenticity of <span class="dictionary">bills</span> for medical services provided and the reasonableness of the charges of the health care provider shall be rebuttably presumed upon identification by the <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span> of the original <span class="dictionary">bill</span> or a duly authenticated copy and the <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> (i) identifying the health care provider, (ii) describing the services rendered, and (iii) stating that the services were rendered in connection with treatment for the injuries received in the event giving rise to the <span class="dictionary">action</span>. If the <span class="dictionary">court</span> finds the <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span> is unable to provide such <span class="dictionary">testimony</span>, the <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span>&#x2019;s guardian, agent under an advance directive, or agent under a <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span> may identify the <span class="dictionary">bill</span> or an authenticated copy and provide <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> in lieu of the <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span>. The <span class="dictionary">presumption</span> herein shall not apply unless the opposing <span class="dictionary">party</span> or his attorney has been furnished such medical records at least 30 days prior to the <span class="dictionary">trial</span>. <a id="paragraph-228745" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-413.01/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Where no medical <span class="dictionary">bill</span> is rendered or specific charge made by a health care provider to the insured, an insurer, or any other <span class="dictionary">person</span>, the usual and customary fee charged for the service rendered may be established by the <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> or the <span class="dictionary">affidavit</span> of an expert having knowledge of the usual and customary fees charged for the services rendered. If the fee is to be established by <span class="dictionary">affidavit</span>, the <span class="dictionary">affidavit</span> shall be submitted to the opposing <span class="dictionary">party</span> or his attorney at least 30 days prior to <span class="dictionary">trial</span>. The <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> or the <span class="dictionary">affidavit</span> is subject to <span class="dictionary">rebuttal</span> and may be admitted in the same manner as an original <span class="dictionary">bill</span> or authenticated copy described in subsection A. <a id="paragraph-228746" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-413.01/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1993, c. 610; 1996, c. 516; 1997, c. 503; 2016, c. 243; 2022, cc. 469, 470.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
