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Author Topic: No Surprises Act  (Read 725 times)

Brad

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No Surprises Act
« on: January 01, 2022, 02:37:31 PM »
Jan 1st. the No Surprises Act takes effect.  It's not perfect but it's better than no protection at all.

Ban on ‘Surprise' Out-of-Network Costs for In-Network Care Takes Effect Jan. 1

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The No Surprises Act takes patients out of the financial equation, limiting what they can be billed for out-of-network services to a fee that’s based on in-network charges

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/law-protecting-patients-from-surprise-medical-bills-takes-effect-jan-1/3472511/
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rcjordan

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Re: No Surprises Act
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2022, 03:25:34 PM »
Apparently, some/much? of surprise billing was driven by predatory private equity firms that would buy emergency room doctors' practices and move them out-of-network so they could bill at unregulated prices.

Fact Sheet: Private Equity is the Driving Force Behind Surprise Medical Billing - Americans for Financial Reform
https://ourfinancialsecurity.org/2021/10/fact-sheet-private-equity-is-the-driving-force-behind-surprise-medical-billing/


My brother was victim of this about 3 years ago when he went to our local emergency room after a small fall.  He was billed $900 out-of-pocket for the doctor's quick checkup.  (Total $$$ for the visit was $3k, IIRC.)  We handle my brother's finances, so we called their New Jersey billing office and received a "we'll get back to you on this" reply.  They never did.  We logged all the info and their lack of response and withheld payment. Never heard from them again.
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Brad

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Re: No Surprises Act
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2022, 04:18:24 PM »
Our local hospital contracted with a new ER provider.  The new ER provider was out of network with Anthem the biggest health insurer in the state, but the hospital was in network.  For about 9 months while the ER provider and Anthem played chicken with each other the hospital stayed silent about the ER being out of network.  Until people started getting massive bills for their ER visits and it hit the newspapers.  The insurance company, the ER providers and the hospital were all rat bastards in this, putting patients who have no choice were the ambulance takes them in a squeeze-play even though they had insurance.
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ergophobe

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Re: No Surprises Act
« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2022, 07:03:35 PM »
Zuckerberg San Francisco General treated Korean tourists’ baby with a nap and a bottle of milk formula. The bill was US$18,000
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2154017/san-francisco-hospital-treated-korean-tourists-baby

Notice the source. The US Healthcare system makes for great propaganda. I once heard an interview with someone who had had access to North Korea and ran across a woman who was so glad she lived in a communist country where she couldn't be bankrupted by a chance medical bill.
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buckworks

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Re: No Surprises Act
« Reply #4 on: January 02, 2022, 07:27:52 PM »
>> country where she couldn't be bankrupted by a chance medical bill.

🇨🇦As a Canadian I feel the same way. 🇨🇦

Canada's health system is high on the list of things I am thankful for.
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