Congress must put people first, bring transparency to health care

Opening and reviewing your medical bill to see the final cost of your medical expenses can be a daunting task. As a mother of two young children and in the midst of peak flu, respiratory syncytial virus, and gastroenteritis season, I am constantly worried about the cost of caring for my family. It’s scary not knowing how much seemingly routine medical services cost, but high healthcare costs are compounded by a lack of transparency about how much necessary services will cost. To do.

I think most people feel that way. But I also happen to be a health care advocate, so I know the statistics behind that sentiment. Medical costs continue to increase; Main driving force Because these price increases are pricing distortions and unfair medical bills that large corporate hospitals and health systems pass on to patients and families. Our hospitals and health systems are the lifelines upon which our communities depend; our listening activities,People are afraid of receiving care This is necessary because you never know if there may be unexpected fees or hidden charges.

Some of these costs include “Facility usage fee” or incur additional costs that can far exceed the actual cost of treatment and are often not covered by insurance. Patients pay these fees in addition to the cost of medical services simply because the health care provider they see is owned by a corporate hospital or health system. Adding to the burden, these fees are usually staggering. Suppose you go to the doctor. Regular ultrasound examination, but the clinic where your doctor works has recently been acquired by a larger hospital system. You pay your normal copay and go home. Shortly after, you receive an unexpected additional bill in the mail with a charge 70% higher than the cost of the ultrasound and an additional bill titled “Facility Fee.” All of these costs increased just because they were treated at a hospital-owned clinic.

Adding to the confusion, facility fees may also be charged for virtual visits, leaving many of us wondering which “facility” these fees are being paid to. for example, mother and child in colorado I made an appointment for an hour via video chat with a speech therapist. She was ultimately charged $676 for her visit, plus $874 in facility fees. Neither she nor her son had ever set foot in the facility.

Voters and a growing coalition of advocates and stakeholders overwhelmingly support bringing transparency to health care billing and requiring patients to pay the same price for the same services no matter where they receive care.a US Care Poll reveal it 74 percent of voters Supports prohibiting facility fees for outpatient, same-day services everywhere, regardless of where the service or care is provided; 81 percent of voters We want to further increase transparency by having healthcare providers proactively disclose facility fees to patients prior to their visit.

Taken together, the broad bipartisan support for demands for greater transparency and addressing facility fees should give policymakers in Congress and across the country confidence to advance these policies. This is a common sense solution. It gets to the heart of the fear people have when they walk into a doctor’s office: not knowing if they can afford it.

To be clear, capping or capping facility fees does not mean that care will get worse or that it will take money out of doctors’ pockets. The professional fees we pay when we seek care already cover the services we receive and the services we pay to the providers we rely on. Facility fees are just one part of a larger problem caused by a broken service fee system that prioritizes paying providers. amount rather than the proportion of patient visits. quality Of care. Fee-for-service allows you to get more money for more visits by involving people in a chain-like medical experience. We are moving away from pay-per-service, Patient-first care With an approach focused on health outcomes, these reforms are targeted, common-sense solutions to give people much-needed peace of mind and peace of mind.

Efforts to address facility fees and the lack of transparency around them have gained attention in recent months. The House passed a bipartisan bill in December. Laws that reduce costs and increase transparencyIt would require hospitals, insurance companies and other medical facilities to publish the prices they charge patients, including facility fees. The bill includes reforms that would require the same price for administering drugs in Medicare outpatient clinics, a policy known as “facility-neutral payment.” Potentially save thousands of dollars for patients People who require drug injection treatment (such as cancer patients). Meanwhile, states continue to pass legislation targeting facility fees, with at least 13 states passing legislation. passed laws establishing limits or restrictions;. If passed, these reforms would bring meaningful change to everyday people who struggle to afford health care.

By passing the Affordability and Transparency Act, Congress has an opportunity to achieve fairness and transparency in billing and pricing, moving us one step closer to a health care system that everyone understands and trusts. can.

Lisa Hunter is senior director of policy and external affairs at United States of Care, a nonpartisan organization that works to ensure everyone has access to quality, affordable health care.