Testimony on Surprise Billing Before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health

In this June 12, 2019 testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, Claire McAndrew, Director of Campaigns and Partnerships at Families USA, breaks down the problem with surprise medical bills and potential solutions under consideration by the committee.

Testimony Summary:

• Surprise bills are a significant and longstanding problem, causing economic insecurity and stress for millions of families each year.
• Surprise bills are the product of distorted market incentives in the negotiation between health plans and providers. In surprise bill situations, consumers are caught in the middle of these powerful industries with no recourse.
• Surprise bills occur across health care settings and must be dealt with holistically.
• While Families USA supports committee’s bipartisan legislation, several changes are needed to ensure the bill protects all consumers affected by surprise bills.
• Only Congress can fully protect consumers against surprise billing. The time for bold action is now.