Statement on House Energy and Commerce Committee Draft Legislation on Surprise Billing

Rick Pollack
President and CEO 
American Hospital Association

May 14, 2019

America’s hospitals and health systems are fully committed to protecting patients from surprise bills and have urged Congress to act. 

We can achieve this by limiting patients’ out-of-pocket expenses to what they would have incurred from in-network providers. Providers and insurers should then be permitted to negotiate payment rates for services provided without the patient being put in the middle. We strongly oppose approaches that would impose arbitrary rates on providers. Insurers should maintain comprehensive networks and this plan takes us in the opposite direction by removing incentives to contract with providers.   

We look forward to our continued work with Congress on workable solutions to stop surprise bills. 

###

Contact:       

Sean Barry, (202) 626-2306
Marie Johnson, (202) 626-2351