WASHINGTON D.C., Dec. 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With American patients still facing significant exposure to a surprise medical bill amid the current public health emergency, more than 60 groups representing consumers, employers and unions implored Congress to take action against these bankrupting charges. The jointly signed letter sent to the Capitol early this week represents the strongest call yet for federal policymakers to finally put an end to surprise medical billing after private equity firms blocked previous reforms in 2019.
The latest letter highlights the continued push by private equity firms and out-of-network providers to take advantage of loopholes in the market at the expense of patients, even amid the COVID-19 pandemic. If Congress fails to act, private equity-backed specialists will continue to bilk the system, forcing patients and their families to pay $40 billion more each year for their medical care.
“A strong bipartisan solution that prioritizes market-based payments for out-of-network care can address both the ‘surprise’ and the outrageous costs from these predatory bills,” said Elizabeth Mitchell, president and CEO of Pacific Business Group on Health. “Congress must act now by including market-based surprise billing reforms as part of the end-of-the-year legislative package so that all patients are protected by these charges.”
Highlights of the letter are included below:
For more information on this effort and other health care policy priorities for America’s largest employers, visit www.pbgh.org.
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About Pacific Business Group Health
PBGH is a coalition of large private employers and public institutions dedicated to transforming health care throughout the country with innovative strategies to improve health care quality and control costs. Representing 41 public and private organizations across the U.S that collectively spend $100 billion annually purchasing health care services for more than 15 million Americans, PBGH has a long history of developing, incubating and launching successful operational programs on behalf of and in partnership with large employers. PBGH exclusively represents the interests of large employers and public institutions buying health care services on behalf of working Americans and their families.