So many of the good health-care proposals that President-elect Joe Biden made during his campaign — to expand insurance subsidies, lower the Medicare eligibility age, create a national public insurance option — now appear difficult to achieve unless his party can, against the odds, take control of the U.S. Senate after two special elections in January. Even if Republicans hold that chamber, however, there is one important health-care policy change that should still be possible: a ban on surprise medical bills.
These infamous bills are the ones a patient receives from emergency room doctors, anesthesiologists, ambulance companies and other care providers outside the patient’s insurance network. They can come from out-of-network hospitals or from independent providers or laboratories working at an in-network hospital.
One-sixth of hospital visits are estimated to result in such a surprise charge. During the pandemic, some patients have received bills amounting to more than $1,900 for a simple Covid test. Others have recovered from a coronavirus infection only to learn they owe hundreds of thousands dollars.
In Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike have voiced outrage at this practice and called for protecting patients from it through legislation. Last year, Congress came close to reaching a deal that would have outlawed the practice. The bipartisan bill would have capped charges at a “benchmark” price tied to average regional in-network rates. But some lawmakers disagreed with the strategy and the deal fell apart. However, some of those who declined to support the deal were voted out of office in the recent election, and this brings new hope that another agreement can be reached.
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