Bipartisan calls are ringing out for the Biden Administration to step up the enforcement of a recently passed law designed to prevent surprising Americans with outrageous medical bills. Congress members from both sides of the aisle, including Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), Greg Murphy (R-NC), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), and Joe Morelle (D-NY), have penned a letter to key Administration officials pressing for full and effective implementation of the No Surprises Act (NSA).
The lawmakers are pushing Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su to address several issues that remain on the table. These include concerns over the qualified payment amount (QPA), network sizes, compliance, and adherence to required payment timelines. Their joint letter, which garners the support of 35 additional Members of Congress, underscores the significance of tracking and resolving these concerns. According to a statement obtained by Wenstrup's office, this is "key to the long-term success of the NSA in resolving disputes and ensuring patient access to care."
"As a physician and lawmaker, it is deeply important to me that the No Surprises Act, which Congress passed on a bipartisan basis, is enacted properly, ensure the wellbeing of patients and health care providers," Rep. Wenstrup said. The lawmakers are adamant that the government needs to "monitor these issues and take appropriate action for violations of the law".
Rep. Murphy underscores the importance of ongoing oversight in his comments: "The proper implementation of the bipartisan No Surprises Act remains an issue we are deeply concerned about. Continued oversight of QPA calculations, improved monitoring of shrinking in-network contracts, and greater regulatory enforcement of statutory requirements are essential to protecting patients," he stressed.
Addressing the real-world impact of the legislation on people's lives, Rep. Morelle refers to the act's importance in emergency situations: "No patient should fear being blindsided with massive, unexpected medical bills in the middle of an emergency," he noted. Meanwhile, Rep. Pascrell emphasizes the relief that the NSA should bring to American families grappling with health care costs, saying, "The high cost of medical care is a tremendous burden for countless millions of Americans." He celebrates the collaborative spirit in which the act was passed: "Democrats and Republicans are united are on this issue to protect Americans from high costs just to stay healthy."
The group's concerted effort highlights the widespread agreement on the need to do away with surprise medical billing and the expectation that the Administration will enforce the measures diligently. Families across America now wait to see how effective these protections will be in shielding them from the financial shocks that have too often accompanied medical crises.
