chevron-down Created with Sketch Beta.
February 20, 2020

House Ways and Means Committee Unveil Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2020

The House Committee on Ways and Means recently proposed a two-tiered system to settle disputed surprise medical bills. The bill provides for an initial 30-day negotiation process to resolve payment issues without federal intervention.  If negotiations are unsuccessful, either party can initiate an independent third-party arbitration process, with the arbitrators prohibited from considering billed or usual and customary charges. Two other bills also address the surprise medical bill issue. First, there is a bipartisan, bicameral agreement to use a median in-network rate of 160% for out-of-network charges allowing providers to appeal. Second, a bill introduced by the House Committee on Education and Labor proposes using a median in-network rate for disputes below $750, with arbitration for greater amounts.