OMBUDSMAN ALERT: New York State Must Abolish All “Surprise” Medical Bills (Part III)

By Dr. Louis Alpert

Ombudsman

Finally, our President, Donald J. Trump, has caught up with the nearly 3-year-old efforts of those of us in New York State, including our Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee as well as this Ombudsman to call for the abolition of “SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLS.”

According to the Associated Press dated, May 9, 2019  “Trump calls on Congress to end surprise medical bills,”citing “high charges insured patients can face when a member of a medical team that treats them is not in their insurer’s network. ‘Not a pleasant surprise,’ Trump said of bills that arrive in the mail and run to tens of thousands of dollars. “A very unpleasant surprise.”

“The administration threw its support behind efforts by lawmakers of both parties to address the problem, laying out legislation. With polls showing that voters trust Democrats over Republicans on health care, Trump has been hitting pocket-book medical issues that resonate with the middle-class, like prescription drug costs.He was joined at a White House event by patients. one got a $110,000 bill after a heart attack, and another who got a bill for $17,850 for a test…..’So this must end,’ Trump said. ‘We’re going to hold insurance companies and hospitals totally accountable”, The president said ‘he wants to get it done quickly.’ and Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Health, Education, labor and Pensions Committee, said he hoped to deliver a bill in July. Just before Trump spoke, the  Democratic leaders of a key House committee said they are ready to move on legislation. “No family should be left in financial pain through no fault of their own, which is why we have been working on a bipartisan solution to protect patients that we hope to announce soon,” Energy and Commerce Chairman, Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and ranking Republican Greg Walden, R-Ore, said.”

In Summary, this issue which OMBUDSMAN ALERT introduced to our readers back on October 28, 2016 has now reached the level of the President and the Congress of the United States and , at last, will reach a successful conclsion!

Please address all comments and questions to: [email protected]

You must be logged in to post a comment Login