WASHINGTON — Today, the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) is leading an open letter with nearly 30 other organizations calling on the Senate Finance Committee to advance site-neutral payment reform through the Site-based Invoicing and Transparency Enhancement (SITE) Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and John Kennedy (R-La.). PPI has long been supportive of site-neutral payment reform and legislative efforts to address this issue.
Medicare, and in many cases, commercial insurers, pay hospital-owned facilities higher rates than independent medical practices and other outpatient facilities for the exact same services. These higher payment rates actually create an incentive for hospitals to acquire these independent practices, resulting in higher prices charged to patients and taxpayers. The SITE Act would promote fairer billing by both ending dishonest billing practices that occur when a hospital acquires a doctor’s office and charges hospital prices despite performing services in the same location, and it would enact site-neutral payment reform to ensure Medicare reimburses providers at the same price for the same service.
Millions of Americans and their families are deeply concerned about the high cost of living and struggling to afford medical care. Every dollar that is spent on high out-of-pocket costs means a dollar less to pay for food, clothing, and other necessities for themselves and their families. This leads to difficult decisions about prioritizing immediate financial needs over preventive or ongoing medical care.
“Ending harmful billing practices like the policies suggested in the SITE Act is crucial in reducing the financial strain that comes from irrationally high medical costs,” said Erin Delaney, PPI’s Director of Health Care Policy. “It is critical that the Senate Finance Committee move forward with this important piece of legislation.”
Read and download the letter here.
The Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) is a catalyst for policy innovation and political reform based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to create radically pragmatic ideas for moving America beyond ideological and partisan deadlock. Learn more about PPI by visiting progressivepolicy.org. Find an expert at PPI and follow us on Twitter.
###
Media Contact: Ian O’Keefe – iokeefe@ppionline.org