MSSNY Urges Congress to Go Back to Drawing Board on Surprise Bill Legislation


MSSNY Seal
MEDICAL SOCIETY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
865 Merrick Avenue, Westbury, New York 11590-9007
www.mssny.org
Communications Division
Telephone: (516) 488-6100

 

For Immediate Release
December 10, 2019

 

MSSNY URGES CONGRESS TO GO BACK TO DRAWING BOARD ON
SURPRISE BILL LEGISLATION

 

Statement attributable to:
Art Fougner, MD
President, Medical Society of the State of New York

“The billion dollar health insurance industry must have been really good this year to have been given this holiday gift from Representative Pallone and Senator Alexander.

Physicians across New York and across the country agree with the goals of legislation to protect patients from surprise out of network medical bills. However, with the just announced Alexander-Pallone proposal Congress would hand market dominant health insurers a shiny new club to enable it to drop more physicians from their networks, and make it even harder for physicians to negotiate fairly with these insurers. It would also make it harder for hospitals to have needed on/call specialty care in their emergency departments for patients in need of this critical care.

The proposal fails to provide the balance that New York’s acclaimed surprise billing law achieved, which protected patients from these bills while fairly balancing the interests of insurers and physicians. New York’s law has saved consumers hundreds of millions of dollars and has not had any adverse impact on the NY health insurance premiums.

We thank the many members of the NY delegation, including Rep. Morelle and Senator Schumer, for their efforts to assure the passage of a far more balanced approach that protects patient’s access to timely needed care.

Bottom line – Congress needs to go back to the drawing board.”

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About the Medical Society of the State of New York
Founded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all.

 

MSSNY Contact:
Roseann Raia
Communications / Marketing
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Ave.
Westbury, New York
516-488-6100 ext 302
rraia@mssny.org

 

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