Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Put In Place
By Consumers For Quality Care, on July 21, 2021
![Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Put In Place](https://consumers4qualitycare.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/GettyImages-601797385-860x400-1.jpeg)
As reported by The Associated Press, the Biden administration began putting in place consumer protections against “surprise” medical bills. The recently issued interim final rule lays out protections for patients, including a key provision reining in the controversial practice of “balance billing,” which occurs when a patient receives an unexpected medical bill for unknowingly being treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network facility. Providers will also be required to give patients 72-hour notice of their estimated charges.
“It’s about getting good health care at a good price for all Americans — it’s a bipartisan effort,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. “You will no longer be stuck in the middle of a payments dispute because you were blindsided by a charge you weren’t expecting.”
CQC research shows that surprise medical bills continue to plague American consumers, with at least 35 percent of voters saying they or a loved one has received an unexpected bill. Nearly one in five emergency visits leads to a surprise bill.
CQC urges lawmakers to address all practices that bankrupt patients and hurt access to quality care.