President Trump Has Opportunity to End Surprise Medical Billing
With summer in full-swing, medical professionals have been quick to warn Americans about the spike of coronavirus cases across the country, particularly in the southern states. As the number of coronavirus cases continues to increase, patients may soon find out they are on the hook for a surprise medical bill after undergoing testing and treatment for the virus.
A “traditional” surprise medical bill occurs when a patient unknowingly visits a hospital or doctor that is not in their insurance provider’s network. But recent reports indicate that patients who are tested for coronavirus continue to receive a surprise medical bill in the mail. Early on, President Trump and his administration made the right decision to mandate that comprehensive healthcare plans must cover coronavirus testing and other related services. By doing so, the President and his team demonstrated the importance of flattening the coronavirus curve and giving patients and medical providers the tools they need to help stop the spread of the pandemic in the United States.
To address surprise medical billing in the long-term, President Trump recently called on Congress to present him with a solution which will end surprise medical billing once and for all. In response, Senator Bill Cassidy, who is a physician, has introduced legislation that’s garnered bipartisan support which favors patients and balances the needs of medical providers on the frontlines.
Using a method similar to what was implemented in New York and Florida, Senator Cassidy’s STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act outlines a process that allows for the parties involved in the dispute to present their case before an arbiter, where the arbiter mediates a price that is fair to both the patient and medical provider, while also holding insurance companies accountable. The highlight of this solution is that the arbiter prioritizes the needs of the patient – meaning they have more time to focus on recovery rather than a looming medical charge.
Senators Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray, in comparison, are pushing for a system that uses a similar government price control method mandated under Obamacare. This one-size-fits-all method would leave the decision-making process to government bureaucrats and insurance industry lobbyists, working in concert with lawmakers behind closed doors to decide how much you pay for medical procedures. If this idea is beginning to sound like socialized healthcare, that’s because it is.
President Trump has the opportunity to stonewall this attempt to expand government overreach in our free-market healthcare system. Now is the time for Republican leadership, under Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s guidance, to take a hard stand against any potential government encroachment by supporting Senator Cassidy’s STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act. By doing so, Congress can present President Trump sound legislation that is rooted in free-market principles and holds the insurance industry accountable.
Now is the time for Republicans to demonstrate that they are committed to protecting patients and medical providers from being taken advantage of by the insurance industry in the face of a national crisis. It is my hope that key Republican leaders work to support Senator Cassidy’s solution, as it is critical that we provide peace of mind to patients that are subject to surprise medical billing both now and in the future.
Ted Alexander is a State Senator representing North Carolina’s 44th District.
