<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"stack](\"https:\/\/ascentblog.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/medical-bills.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nSurprise\nmedical bills are a growing problem for patients across the country. Statistics\ntell the story; a Kaiser Family Foundation survey in 2018 found that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- 40 percent of insured adults aged 18-65\nreceived a surprise medical bill within the preceding 12 months<\/li>
- 67 percent of respondents were concerned\nabout surprise medical bills; more people worried about these than high\ninsurance premiums, high deductibles, and rising drug costs<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
A\nrecent JAMA Internal Medicine<\/em> study reported that out-of-network billing\nis more common and the bills more costly than they were a decade earlier. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSurprise\nmedical bills have been a huge burden that can stress consumers’ finances,\nliterally causing some people to go broke,\u201d said Linda A. Lacewell, Department\nof Financial Services Superintendent. \u201cOur review shows that the law is making\na major difference in helping New Yorkers receive the healthcare they deserve\nwithout the unnecessary shock and onerous cost of surprise bills and the stress\nof having to enter disputes themselves.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\nNew York law removed patients from the negotiation process and resulted in a\none-third reduction in out-of-network billing and a nine percent drop in\nin-network emergency physician payments. Patients aren\u2019t the only ones to\nbenefit; doctors are using data from the report to push for an arbitration\nprocess where payers and providers come up with an amount they feel is a fair\nprice for an out-of-network emergency service and a third-party arbitrator will\ndetermine which offer is most reasonable. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\nnext goal is to develop a national independent dispute resolution process in order\nto end surprise medical bills, though there is disagreement on several fronts\nregarding implementation. Some are afraid new legislation might cost the\nfederal government billings and potentially lead to higher costs by increasing\nprovider payments. Alternate legislation pushing for benchmark reimbursement\nrates for out-of-network care has also been proposed, but has met strong\nopposition from physicians and hospitals. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
For\nnow, payers and providers disagree on which approach is best for addressing the\nproblem of surprise billing. The federal government will look closely at both\nsides before coming up with a national policy. <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A medical billing law passed in New York in 2015 has been a surprising success, according to the Department of Financial Services. Consumers over $400 million during a four-year period (2015 to 2018) thanks to the law, which provides them with an independent resolution process upon receipt of out-of-network and surprise medical bills. During that…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1870,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"schema":"","placeID":"","no_match":false,"name":"","company":"","review":"","address":"","city":"","state":"","zip":"","lat":"","lng":"","phone1":"","phone2":"","fax":"","mon1":"","mon2":"","tue1":"","tue2":"","wed1":"","wed2":"","thu1":"","thu2":"","fri1":"","fri2":"","sat1":"","sat2":"","sun1":"","sun2":"","hours-note":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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