“Americans are already struggling to afford the continually increasing cost of health care – they shouldn’t be blindsided by unexpected and hyperinflated medical bills when they unexpectedly need to see out-of-network providers,” said Congressman Van Taylor. He continued, “Reducing out-of-pocket health care cost isn’t a partisan issue and I am proud to come together with my colleagues to introduce this commonsense legislation to end surprise billing and give more certainty to all Americans.”

"The Protecting People from Surprise Medical Bills Act is gaining momentum because it includes the strongest patient protections of any surprise billing legislation proposed in the House or Senate,” said Dr. Ruiz. “Our bill creates the most fair and transparent system to end surprise bills – without picking winners or losers. This bill is the best solution to protect middle-class families from the severe anxiety, depression, and financial ruin that can result from receiving an unexpected and very expensive bill from an out-of-network provider."

The predatory practice of surprise billing is yet another example of why our healthcare system doesn’t work for everyday Americans,” said Rep. Morelle. “Patients in need deserve better than to be blindsided with a massive, unexpected medical bill in the middle of an emergency. I was proud to help pass measures to end surprise billing during my time in the State Assembly, and now I’m pleased to come together with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to introduce similar legislation and bring much-needed peace of mind to families across the country.”

“For far too long, families and patients have endured financial stress and other hardships because of costly surprise medical bills,” said Rep. Roe. “Too many Americans are only a car crash away from financial ruin, and the time is now to ensure families have peace of mind. For this reason, I am proud to work with my colleague Dr. Ruiz on a bipartisan solution that will help end this practice and ensure providers and insurers can work out any payment disagreements through arbitration. Our legislation is based on a proven, tested model from New York state, and I am confident that if enacted, this will prove helpful for patients, providers, insurers, employers and taxpayers.”

• Bans the practice of billing patients for unanticipated out-of-network care
• Implements a ‘baseball-style’ arbitration model that identifies a reasonable payment rate when insurers and providers cannot agree on the cost of care
• Improves transparency by requiring health plans to clearly identify in-network providers and patients’ deductibles