CEO DATELINE - Coalition formed to address ‘surprise' medical bills
CEO DATELINE - Coalition formed to address ‘surprise' medical bills
- December 11, 2018 |
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Walt Williams
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Nine groups representing health insurers, retailers and consumers have formed a new coalition to advocate against "surprise" medical bills, but two hospital industry associations are pushing back by saying insurers are to blame.
The mission of the new coalition is "to protect patients from receiving surprise medical bills—often for tens of thousands of dollars—after getting the care they need," according to a statement from America's Health Insurance Plans, the lead organizer of the coalition.
Surprise bills are unexpected costs incurred by patients for medical procedures they thought were covered by their insurance plans. AHIP and the eight coalition members laid the blame for the problem squarely on medical providers.
"Health insurance providers develop networks to negotiate better value and lower costs for the consumers they serve," the group said. "When doctors, hospitals or care specialists choose not to participate in networks—or if they do not meet the standards for inclusion in a network—they charge whatever rates they like."
The coalition has developed a set of "principles" to address surprise billing. They include federal legislation protecting patients from unexpected bills, informing patients about out-of-network care, and basing payments to out-of-network doctors on a federal standard.
Members of the coalition include the American Benefits Council, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Consumers Unions, National Association of Insurance Underwriters and National Retail Federation. http://bit.ly/2C4GLzK
Medical providers take umbrage with the claim that they are primarily to blame for surprise bills. In a joint statement reacting to the coalition's formation, American Hospital Association CEO Rick Pollack and Federation of American Hospitals CEO Chip Kahn said providers want to protect patients from unexpected charges.
"Inadequate health plan provider networks that limit patient access to emergency care is one of the root causes of surprise bills," they said. "Patients should be confident that they can seek immediate lifesaving care at any hospital." http://bit.ly/2QK3B7J
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