Ending Surprise Medical Bills
Millions of Americans have faced the financial burden of surprise medical bills. Thankfully, bipartisan enactment of the No Surprises Act prevented over 9 million surprise bills in the first 9 months of 2022. Despite this success, 16 lawsuits have been filed challenging the law, implementing regulations, and IDR decision process. These lawsuits, often driven by private-equity backed providers, threaten to restrict and even do away with the protections put in place by the No Surprises Act. Recent polling has shown that a bipartisan majority of voters are concerned these lawsuits could delay or overturn the patient protections in the No Surprises Act (73%) and increase health care costs for patients (78%).
Our Mission
The Coalition Against Surprise Medical Billing represents leading employer groups, unions, health insurance providers, and the tens of millions of people they employ and serve each day. Together, we support comprehensive protections for Americans against surprise medical bills, including:
■ Ensuring that as implementation continues, the No Surprises Act regulations remain in place to serve patients and end the practice of out-of-network providers sending surprise medical bills – while also lowering costs.
■ Maintaining fair and market-based payments for out-of-network care.
■ Reducing Americans’ health insurance premiums and taxpayers’ costs by avoiding an arbitration process that adds unnecessary cost, delay, and red tape to the health system.
The Problem
Surprise medical billing – also known as “balance billing” – made it harder for patients to afford necessary medical care, and even bankrupted families, often when they least expected it.
Role of Private Equity
The Solution
Everyone in America deserves affordable, high-quality coverage and care, and control over their health care choices. Surprise medical bills undermine these values, putting the health and financial stability of millions of patients at risk every year. As organizations representing America’s employers, unions and health insurance providers, we all have a role to play in ensuring that patients are informed, engaged, and protected from excessive costs.
News
CASMB Statement on New TMA Lawsuit
Washington, D.C. – The Coalition Against Surprise Medical Billing issued the following statement in response to the latest September 22, 2022, lawsuit filed by the Texas Medical Association challenging portions of the final rule issued on the No Surprises Act: “We are...
ICYMI: New Study Shows Private Equity Firms Overcharge Patients
As private equity becomes increasingly involved in the health care industry, an alarming trend has emerged: private equity-owned medical practices are prioritizing their own financial benefit over delivering high-quality care that patients can afford. A recent study...
ICYMI: Coalition Against Surprise Medical Billing Sends Letter to Tri-Agencies on Final Rule
In light of a final rule issued by the Biden Administration regarding surprise medical billing, the Coalition Against Surprise Medical Billing sent a letter this week to the tri-agencies emphasizing the need to protect patients and their families when it comes to the...