WASHINGTON – Feb. 11, 2020 – This is a critical week for the millions of Americans still receiving bankrupting surprise medical bills and the employers who sponsor health benefits for their workers and families. The National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, a non-profit whose members represent more than 12,000 employers and 45 million Americans, urges legislators to advance a fair, reasonable, local market-based approach to resolve billing disputes.
The “Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2020” relies solely on arbitration, does not offer a viable solution to solve surprise medical billing for patients and employers, and could be worse than the status quo. In addition, one proposal significantly limits the benefits of fair, market-based rates by encouraging those specialists who charge the highest fees to recoup their costs through arbitration.
“Arbitration does nothing to stem the tide of ‘blank check’ pricing by healthcare providers,” said Michael Thompson, National Alliance president and CEO. “It puts patients in the middle when they are at their most vulnerable and relies on employers to clean up the mess.”
As a member of the Coalition Against Surprise Medical Billing, the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions will continue to work toward a solution that protects patients from financial harm and establishes a mechanism to prevent runaway healthcare costs for employers.
About National Alliance
The National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions is the only nonprofit, purchaser-led organization with a national and regional structure dedicated to driving health and healthcare value across the country. Our members represent more than 12,000 employers/purchasers and 45 million Americans spending over $300 billion annually on healthcare. To learn more, visit nationalalliancehealth.org, connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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