Joco Today

U.S. Senators Roger Marshall and Michael Bennet have introduced the No Surprises Act Enforcement Act, aiming to protect patients from unexpected medical bills. This new legislation seeks to address issues arising from the 2020 No Surprises Act, which was designed to manage payments for out-of-network healthcare services. The senators argue that health insurance companies are not adhering to the process established by this law.

Senator Marshall emphasized the financial strain surprise medical bills can place on families, stating, "Surprise medical bills can have devastating economic impacts on families’ bottom lines." He added that their proposed legislation aims to ensure prompt and fair resolution of out-of-network medical bills with enhanced penalties for non-compliance by insurers.

Senator Bennet highlighted past efforts to combat surprise billing in Colorado, noting, "For too long, surprise medical billing left Coloradans on the hook for outrageous and unexpected costs after a hospital visit." He expressed satisfaction with the original No Surprises Act but sees this new bill as essential for further protecting consumers and holding insurers accountable.

The bill has also been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by several members including Congressman Greg Murphy and Congresswoman Kim Schrier.

The original No Surprises Act aimed to protect patients from unforeseen out-of-network charges and establish a balanced dispute resolution process between insurers and providers. However, according to lawmakers, this framework is not being implemented as intended.