AMA: Senate HELP Bill on surprise billing fails to fix a broken system

The American Medical Association (AMA), along with more than 120 state and national medical specialty organizations, agrees that patients who have no opportunity to select an in-network physician should be protected from any charges above what they would have paid in-network.

The “Lower Health Costs Act” released Wednesday by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, however, would establish a government-mandated rate that absolves plans of one of their most basic obligations – developing adequate networks of physicians to care for their premium-paying customers.