Media
Keep track of what’s new at Action for Health, including opinion and press statements, articles, regulatory and legislative comments, and other media.
RealClearHealth: Our Behavioral Health System is Spiraling and Now Facing Sensational Press
October 22, 2024
For his latest commentary, our President Christopher Sheeron penned an op-ed in RealClearHealth today exploring how our national mental health crisis is worsening and how the New York Times is unfairly attacking the behavioral healthcare workforce.
Read his column here.
Harris-Walz Ticket Sharpens Contrast With Trump-Vance on Health Care
August 19, 2024
Our President Christopher Sheeron spoke with KFF Health News’ Stephanie Armour for her story today on how Kamala Harris' pick of Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate is making healthcare a front-burner issue in the final sprint to the November presidential election.
Read the column here.
Circuit Court Hands Federal Regulators Massive Loss in No Surprises Act Decision
August 6, 2024
We issued our latest press statement today, in which we explore the Fifth Circuit’s momentous appeals ruling on the No Surprises Act and the qualifying payment amount (QPA) used in the law’s independent dispute resolution (IDR) process.
Click here to read the statement.
POLITICO Pro: What the health sector thinks about Kamala Harris
July 22, 2024
Today, our President Christopher Sheeron spoke with POLITICO Pro to share his insights on what a potential Harris presidency could mean for healthcare.
More than a dozen health lobbyists, association leaders and policy experts interviewed for this article shared expectations for how Harris will tackle health costs, access to care and enforcement of Biden administration regulations...
[O]ther provider groups are hoping that her interest in taking on anticompetitive practices could mean breaking up insurance companies, rewriting regulations implementing the No Surprises Act, the 2022 law that aimed to protect patients from incurring out-of-network costs in emergency situations, or even reconsidering a ban on physician-owned hospitals.
“All three of these solutions would provide Harris ways to lower prices for patients,” said Christopher Sheeron, president of Action for Health, an advocacy group critical of insurers.
Continue reading the article here.
Press Statement: With First CMS Audit, Renewed Calls to Fix IDR Process
July 17, 2024
With the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ first audit of the No Surprises Act released—showing Aetna breaking the law at almost every turn—our latest statement is out today calling on CMS and Congress to fix many other problems still plaguing the federal independent dispute resolution (IDR) process.
Read the statement here.
Empire Report: State Budget Provision Would Leave Managed Medicaid Patients Out to Dry
March 8, 2024
Empire Report publishes today the latest op-ed from our President Christopher Sheeron. In his column, he writes, “With March now upon us, it’s crunch time for the Assembly and Senate’s one-house budget resolutions. Albany watchers and lawmakers alike know that the proposed Medicaid cuts in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s $233 billion executive budget proposal have been a hot topic.
He continues, “However, there is a seemingly small provision related to Managed Medicaid patients in the governor’s budget proposal that has been flying under the radar. If enacted, it will have devastating consequences for patients. Members of the Assembly and Senate, along with their constituents, need to quickly learn what is going on here. Simply put, this provision is not ready for prime time..”
Read the op-ed here.
Spotlight: Sneaky Budget Provision Jeopardizes New York’s Managed Medicaid Patients
February 27, 2024
As state lawmakers return to Albany this week after the holiday recess, Gov. Kathy Hochul's $1.2 billion in proposed Medicaid cuts continues to be a hot topic. However, there is a small provision related to Managed Medicaid patients in the governor's budget proposal that has been flying under the radar. And it will have devastating consequences if enacted.
Learn more here.
Regulatory Comment Letter on IDR Process Proposed Rule
January 2, 2024
Today, we submitted our latest comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In our comments, our President Christopher Sheeron offers 14 different recommendations in response the proposed rule, Federal Independent Dispute Resolution Process, from the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury and the Office of Personnel Management.
Read our comments in the docket here.
Comments Submitted to CMS on No Surprises Act Proposed Rule
October 27, 2023
Yesterday, we submitted our latest comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid concerning the Departments of Health and Human Services, Treasury, and Labor’s proposed rule, “Federal Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) Process Administrative Fee and Certified IDR Entity Fee Ranges.”
Read our comments in the docket here.
Ways and Means Committee Statement for the Record
October 3, 2023
Today, we submitted a statement for the record to the House Ways and Means Committee for its recent hearing, “Reduced Care for Patients: Fallout from Flawed Implementation of Surprise Medical Billing Protections”.
Commenting on the failed implementation undertaken by HHS, CMS, and other federal regulators, our President Christopher Sheeron stated, “We…urge your Committee to use every lever of power at its disposal to ensure health insurance companies follow the law, comply with all timelines and deadlines set forth in the statue, and make their required payments on-time. In no uncertain terms, the lawlessness of the Biden administration’s regulators, coupled with health insurance companies’ greed, has put our nation’s healthcare delivery system on the brink of collapse.”
Read the SFR here.
HHS’ Shuttering of IDR Process Leaves Healthcare System in the Balance
September 14, 2023
In our latest statement today, we call on the Department of Health and Human Services to quickly reopen the No Surprises Act's independent dispute resolution (IDR) process.
According to our President Christopher Sheeron, “During the pandemic, the administration talked constantly about our medical providers being 'healthcare heroes'. How long will it take its regulators to walk this walk? Our heroes will soon be forced to retire their capes if the IDR process isn't up, running, and fully functional without bias toward either disputing party.”
Read more here.
Statement: White House Missing the Mark on Surprise Medical Bills
July 10, 2023
On Friday, President Biden announced a series of new actions as part of his "Bidenomics" agenda. One of these plans includes guidance on rules against surprise medical bills. The administration, however, is missing the mark again after its bungled regulatory implementation of the No Surprises Act.
Unfortunately, this new guidance fails to address the main issue concerning surprise bills nationwide: the refusal of federal regulators and certified independent dispute resolution entities (IDREs) to process IDR claims in the time frame required by law.
Read more here.
Op-ed: Enough With the No Surprises Act Scheming
May 12, 2023
RealClearHealth publishes today the latest op-ed from our President Christopher Sheeron. In his column, he writes, “A new report from CMS on the No Surprises Act’s (NSA) independent dispute resolution (IDR) process provides staggering details… Unfortunately, all signs from the report, as well as in court and medical offices nationwide, point to the Biden administration using its NSA regulatory implementation to crush independent physicians.”
He continues, “If the IDR process is not up and running quickly, and health insurance companies continue to stymie the system and not make payments, thousands of medical practices nationwide will soon be out of business. All of us as patients will then be left holding the bag.”
Read the op-ed here.
Bloomberg: No Surprises Act Yields More Than 330,000 Billing Disputes
April 28, 2023
Today, Sara Hansard, senior reporter for Bloomberg Law, highlights CMS’ new report on the federal IDR process. Her story features comments from our President Christopher Sheeron:
“This new report shows that CMS’s behavior is not only just incompetent, but also deliberate,” Sheeron said in an interview.
The data shows that “for the benefit of the health insurance companies, CMS is trying to destroy those independent medical practices that still remain,” Sheeron said.
The report is “proof that CMS’s regulatory implementation and operation of the IDR process to date is unlawful,” Sheeron said.
He also said many providers are not being paid by health insurers, even when providers win arbitration cases.
Read the article here.
Comments to FTC on Non-Compete Rulemaking
April 19, 2023
Today, Action for Health submitted public comments to the Federal Trade Commission in opposition to its Non-Compete Clause Rule.
Our President Christopher Sheeron writes, “We are very concerned about the terrible consequences this rule would have on physicians and independent medical practices, as well as the nation’s broader healthcare system. As the non-compete agreement is a critical part of most independent physician contracts – but is much less critical for hospitals – this will cause disproportionate harm to independent medical practices. As such, this non-compete rule would also ultimately negatively impact patients who rely on these independent practices.”
Read the comment letter here.
Groups push for arbitration guidance to ease No Surprises Act logjam
March 17, 2023
Today in Becker’s Hospital Review, Andrew Cass highlights the push for federal agencies to release new No Surprises Act regulatory guidance and features comments from our President Christopher Sheeron.
Read the article here.
Bloomberg: Health Billing Disputes Pile Up; Arbitration Guidance Urged
March 16, 2023
This morning, Bloomberg Law’s Sara Hansard reports on the latest developments concerning No Surprises Act regulations and lawsuits, the IDR claim logjam, and the immediate need for new CMS guidance.
Her story features extensive comments from her interview with our President Christopher Sheeron.
Read the article here.
Regulators Must Restart Federal IDR Process Immediately
February 22, 2023
We issued our latest press statement today, calling for how new guidance for certified IDR entities is necessary to prevent a meltdown of our healthcare system.
According to our President Christopher Sheeron, “The No Surprises Act was enacted 26 months ago. It's incomprehensible that we are now staring down the barrel of a complete failure to implement such a milestone law. It's high time for the IDR process to proceed in the time frames set forth in the statute. If a functioning IDR process is not up and running immediately, patients nationwide will have far fewer medical practices open to care for them."
Read the press statement here.
First in Pulse: State Care Network Launches
January 18, 2023
This morning, POLITICO reports: “Action for Health, a D.C.-based health advocacy group, will expand its operation to state governments through a new initiative, the State Care Network.
“Citing a likely gridlock from a divided Congress, the group said in a statement shared with Pulse that it would look to state capitals as the “policy-making center of gravity” shifts away from Washington, D.C. The official announcement is expected later today.
“The group has criticized hospital consolidation and insurance companies’ large profit margins — and has previously pushed for legislation to resolve provider-insurer bill disputes through a private mediator.”
Read the coverage here.
Action for Health Launches State Care Network
January 18, 2023
Today, we announced the launch of our State Care Network (SCN). Advocating for patients, SCN will work to monitor, investigate, and provide recommendations on healthcare issues in states nationwide.
With a newly-split Congress and now 40 states where one party controls the governor’s office and majorities in both legislative chambers, the policy-making center of gravity will continue to shift from Washington to state capitols.
Read the press statement here.
Biden Administration Skirts Texas Court with Final Rule
August 22, 2022
We issued our latest statement this morning, which highlights the release of a new final rule for the No Surprises Act.
Our President Christopher Sheeron argues that, in direct defiance of two federal court decisions this year, federal regulators have now created a new rebuttable presumption that favors health insurance companies’ qualifying payment amount.
Read the press statement here.
Health Plans Playing Awful Blame Game
June 29, 2022
In our latest release issued today, we explore how New York’s health insurance companies are masking their record profits, extraordinary executive compensation, and efforts to deny patients care by blaming inflation, COVID-19, and physicians.
Additionally, according to our President Christopher Sheeron, “The fact that the state’s health insurers are now proposing patients stomach a nearly 19% hike in premiums is reprehensible.”
Read the press statement here.
Opinion: New York Leaders Must Not Let Health Insurance Companies Co-opt Patient Protection Law
March 24, 2022
Our President Christopher Sheeron writes his latest op-ed today for the Gotham Gazette. In this column, he unveils how health insurance companies are trying to use New York’s Executive Budget as a vehicle to ruin the state's highly successful surprise medical bill law, the nation’s first.
According to Sheeron, “Health insurance companies, it seems, will never be satisfied with record-breaking profits. Always seeking to extract more profit from hard-working New Yorkers, insurers have spared no effort in trying to subvert the state’s surprise bill statute, impact on providers and patients be damned. The question remains: will our leaders stand up to the insurers, or will they be allowed to subvert the law for their own profit.”
Read the column here.
Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
Regulators Have Completely Rewritten the No Surprises Act
This morning, we issued a new press statement detailing how federal regulators are hijacking the No Surprises Act in favor of gigantic insurance companies.
With their new regulations, Requirements Related to Surprise Billing; Part II, these bureaucrats blatantly ignored Congressional intent concerning this legislation. We highlight all the evidence — including bipartisan and bicameral letters to the principal agencies — showing how regulators are attempting to rewrite this extremely important patient protection law.
October 12, 2021
Read the statement here.
Live in Austin for Free2Care’s Annual Conference
We were honored to be in Austin this week for the Free2Care 2021 Annual Conference. Our President Christopher Sheeron moderated the surprise medical bill session and was joined by distinguished panelists Rebecca Kiessling, managing director, Benjamin Rush Institute and Dr. Paula Muto, founder and CEO, UBERDOC.
During a lively discussion, the panel discussed: how surprise medical bills affect patients and physicians; the UnitedHealthcare-Yale University surprise medical bill research research; the No Surprises Act; and the importance of the law’s current federal regulatory implementation process.
September 14, 2021
Learn more about Free2Care here.
Podcast: Episode 9: For Patients by the Patients, Part 2
For his latest podcast, our President Christopher Sheeron sat down with host Dr. Nikki Johnson for her latest episode of Free2Care the Podcast.
In a lively conversation, they discussed the UnitedHealthcare-Yale University surprise medical bill research scandal, as well the vital importance of the No Surprises Act’s current regulatory implementation process. As Sheeron explains, a fair independent dispute resolution (IDR) process is the most essential component of the entire regulatory framework for this law.
August 23, 2021
Watch and listen below.
Spotlight: Gross “Research” Conflict Uncovered
This week, Rose Adams writes an explosive report for The Intercept detailing how stealth health insurance lobbying is masquerading as academic "research". In her piece, "UnitedHealthcare Guided Yale's Groundbreaking Surprise Billing Study", Adams highlights how executives at UnitedHealthcare manipulated a widely-cited study on surprise medical bills from Dr. Zack Cooper and his colleagues at the country's second-wealthiest university.
We issued a press statement calling out this egregious conflict. According to our President Christopher Sheeron, “As regulators at HHS, CMS, and other federal agencies continue their important work crafting the additional regulations for this law, especially the independent dispute resolution provisions, it is imperative that they seriously reconsider this 'research'. It is frankly nothing more than talking points from the fifth-largest, and one of the most profitable, companies in the country.”
August 13, 2021
Read the full press statement here.
Comments on the Regulatory Implementation of the No Surprises Act
This morning, we submitted our initial analysis and recommendations to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight (CCIIO), and the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) regarding the regulatory implementation process of the No Surprises Act.
June 30, 2021
Read our full comments here.
AHIP Rebrand? Different Lipstick, Same Pig
Our President Christopher Sheeron issued a statement today in response to America’s Health Insurance Plans’ (AHIP) rebranding effort this week. He says, “AHIP can carewash all it wants — it's just different lipstick on the same pig."
June 2, 2021
Read the full statement here.
A Regulatory Wake-up Call
In a new op-ed for RealClearHealth today, our President Christopher Sheeron explains what is at stake regarding HHS’ regulatory implementation of the No Surprises Act. Warning that health insurance companies are already hard at work distorting Congress' intent, he urges patients, hospitals, physicians, labor unions, and other stakeholders to weigh in during this critical process.
April 7, 2021
Read the column here.
Questions for HHS Nominee Becerra
President Biden's pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services faces a dizzying array of challenges. Many senators rightfully have COVID-19 and vaccine distribution top of mind. However, the next Health and Human Services secretary will also have the important responsibility of overseeing the implementation of the No Surprises Act.
As the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee begins to consider this morning Xavier Becerra as the next HHS secretary, we are proposing five questions for the nominee.
February 23, 2021
See our questions here.
Free Market Leaders Urge Sen. McConnell to Remain Opposed to Moving the No Surprises Act
Today, we joined a coalition of free market leaders in urging Leader Mitch McConnell to remain opposed to attaching the No Surprises Act to any year-end deal. In a letter to the Senate Majority Leader, the coalition wrote:
"As you work this week to finalize Covid-19 relief and appropriations, we urge you to remain steadfast in your opposition to including the No Surprises Act in any year-end package. This bill is rife with problematic language and will lead to dangerous unintended consequences, right in the middle of a surging pandemic... The larger problem, however, is with the process: this is a last minute, 372-page House negotiated bill dumped late on a Friday evening. It has nothing to do with Covid-19 relief or government funding. As you know well, bad process leads to bad policy."
December 15, 2020
Read the letter.
Patient Advocates to Congress: “Seriously?”
Our President Christopher Sheeron issued the following statement tonight in response to the release of the No Surprises Act.
He stated, "In a year full of misinformation, claiming this bill establishes a 'fair framework to resolve disputes' takes the myth prize… If we don't reset this debate in the next Congress and work together to amend this approach, rural hospitals and under-served communities will be decimated, independent medical practices will close, and the private healthcare system in America as we know it will be over… On behalf of more than 10 million patients across the country, we urge all Members who support them, our nation's healthcare heroes, and free market principles to say 'no' to the No Surprises Act."
December 11, 2020
Read the statement.
Coalition Urges Congressional Leadership to Reject Price Controls
We are proud to stand with 16 leading free-market organizations today in strongly urging Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, and Leader McCarthy to reject adding a disastrous, rate-setting "fix" to surprise medical bills into a year-end spending or Covid-19 relief package.
December 7, 2020
Read our letter to leadership.
Coalition of 43 Groups Urges Congress to Adopt Fair IDR
Today, we joined a diverse coalition of patient advocates, free market groups, and medical organizations in writing a letter to Congress concerning surprise medical bill legislation. Addressed to all Members of Congress, the letter details key criteria for a fair independent dispute resolution (IDR) process and offers draft legislative language to solve surprise medical bills once and for all.
According to our president Christopher Sheeron, “During a surging pandemic, now is the worst time for bad surprise medical bill legislation that will restrict patients' access to care… We must wait until the next Congress and the new Administration to get this right. It's clear that other ideas have failed to pass muster. Fair IDR, which treats both physicians and insurers equally by allowing them to present all relevant information to make their best case in a bill dispute, is the answer. And we look forward to working with the new Congress toward this solution."
December 2, 2020
Read the letter to Congress.
“Surprise billing” in healthcare — don’t reward the villain
Writing in the Bucks County Courier Times today, Dr. Marion Mass, a pediatrician and co-founder of our coalition member Practicing Physicians of America, explains why health insurance companies are responsible for surprise medical bills.
According to Dr. Mass, “Given the forces at work in the healthcare industry, “surprise billing” has become so commonplace that it’s now on the radar of lawmakers in Washington. They have two solutions in front of them. Both would prevent you, the patient, from receiving surprise bills… Tell your representatives not to make the spectacularly stupid choice that will continue to choke the life out of the medical profession. Tell them to make the smart choice: IDR.”
November 27, 2020
Read the op-ed.
Fair Dispute Resolution Offers the Right Approach to Surprise Medical Bills
This afternoon, RealClearHealth publishes a new column on surprise medical bills from Andrew Quinlan, co-founder of the Center for Freedom and Prosperity and a member of our coalition.
According to Quinlan, “Insurance company allies in Congress are seeking a ‘compromise’ that would ensure they are able to maintain record profits through a rigged system, either by restricting the relevant information that physicians could share to make their case or by instructing arbiters to rely on in-network rates in their decision making."
November 11, 2020
Read more.
Surprise Medical Bills Are a Problem, But a Lot Is Riding on Fixing Them the Right Way
Writing this morning in Townhall, Mario Lopez, president of the Hispanic Leadership Fund and a member of our coalition, explains why a fair independent dispute resolution (IDR) process is the right way to resolve the issue of surprise medical bills. Lopez also warns why, by comparison, a rigged IDR process is so dangerous.
October 12, 2020
Read more.
New Poll Shows Healthcare Rate-Setting Is Politically Unviable
The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA), a member of our coalition, released today a new poll of Senate battleground states showing voters oppose government schemes like rate-setting as an answer to surprise medical bills. Voters hold doctors and nurses in the highest regard, with more than 90% agreeing the COVID-19 pandemic has shown how valuable their work is as they fight on the front lines. The poll also shows that voters overwhelmingly support a fair independent dispute resolution (IDR) process to solve surprise medical bills.
September 29, 2020
View the poll.
Will the President Socialize Healthcare Today?
In anticipation of President Trump’s healthcare address, our President Christopher Sheeron wrote a column today in RealClearHealth warning the president of the dire consequences a flawed executive order banning surprise medical bills would have.
He stated, “To wreck our healthcare system at the last minute before November’s election, while stabbing in the back the healthcare heroes who are risking their lives during this pandemic, is a losing proposition to say the least. It is hoped that President Trump does not make this awful mistake this afternoon. If he does, he will not only put his re-election in further peril, but also usher in a new era of socialized medicine in America.”
September 24, 2020
Read more.
Richard Neal Stands Up to Giant Insurance Companies and Wins Big in Election
Rep. Richie Neal won his primary last night in Massachusetts’ 1st Congressional District, fending off challenger Alex Morse, the mayor of Holyoke.
The issue of surprise medical bills emerged as a top issue during this campaign. According to Christopher Sheeron, president of Action for Health, “This is a stark reminder to Members of Congress: voters want a solution to surprise medical bills that protects them and their doctors, not one that further enriches huge health insurance companies. These insurers are desperate to pass legislation in Washington that uses rate-setting or ‘benchmarking’ so that they can keep driving up their profits. Congressman Neal rejects this approach and has persevered despite the industry’s relentless and baseless attacks on him. Thankfully, he’s working toward a solution that puts providers, hospitals, healthcare centers, doctors, and, most importantly, patients first.”
September 2, 2020
Read more.
Photo: Don Treeger/The Republican, via Associated Press
Stop the Medical Billing Surprises
Writing for InsideSources today, Andrew Quinlan, president and co-founder of our coalition member the Center for Freedom and Prosperity, explains why price controls “will endanger everyone who needs care”.
Additionally, Quinlan highlights why an independent dispute resolution (IDR) process is the best way to fix surprise medical bills. He writes, “A better approach would be to set fair prices in the first place. In the small subset of cases where there is a dispute between providers and insurance providers, then doctors could name one price, and insurance companies another. An impartial arbiter would then select one or the other based on market conditions.
Both sides would want to be fair, since the arbiter would be likely to reject prices that were too high or two low. Patients would benefit by not being caught in the middle, and as they always do when there is competition in a market. That’s why the free market, and not government, is best suited to deliver quality healthcare.”
August 26, 2020
Read more
Patients Lose if Congress Tries Relief Bill Trickery
In his latest column for RealClearHealth, our president, Christopher Sheeron, explains why sneaking a "fix" to surprise medical bills into Congress' faltering COVID-19 relief package would have disastrous consequences.
He writes, “Despite what some Members claim, we won’t be tricked into thinking these are real solutions. With such major implications for patients and physicians, surprise medical bills need to be addressed by Congress after our health care system recovers. Tying the issue to COVID-19 relief is just a trick. There are so many actual priorities to address in this next relief package. A terrible fix to surprise medical bills is not one of them."
August 7, 2020
Read more
We Can’t Afford a Divisive Surprise in this New Relief Bill
Today, our coalition is warning lawmakers — especially those in leadership and who serve on the Senate HELP, House Ways and Means, and House Energy and Commerce Committees — that the forthcoming relief package is the absolute worst place to address surprise medical bills.
August 3, 2020
Read the press release
DC Yet Again Hiding Terrible and Unpopular Ideas – In Terrible and Less Unpopular Ideas
In RedState today, Seton Motley, president of our coalition member Less Government, offers a stern warning to Congress: sneaking a supposed “fix” to surprise medical bills into the next Covid-19 relief bill — which would socialize medicine in the U.S. — is a terrible idea.
July 30, 2020
Read more
Patient Coalition Sends Letter to Congressional Leadership on Phase Four COVID-19 Relief and Surprise Medical Bills
Today, we sent a coalition letter to Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, and Minority Leader McCarthy. We strongly believe that any attempt to include a “fix” to surprise medical bills that uses “benchmarking” or price controls in the relief package currently being put together by Congress is woefully misguided.
The letter also highlights the national chorus of diverse voices that has made clear that “benchmarking” of payment rates is dangerous, full of unintended consequences, and devastating to patients.
July 21, 2020
Read the letter
Price controls are still the wrong fix for surprise medical bills
In The Hill today, Mario Lopez, president of our coalition member Hispanic Leadership Fund, writes an op-ed on why price controls and “benchmarking” are a faulty solution to tackle surprise medical bills and how this approach would further devastate the Hispanic community, which is already suffering disproportionately from COVID-19.
Additionally, Lopez states, “Any attempt by Congress before its August recess to sneak in a phony “fix” for surprise medical bills that uses price controls must be resoundingly rejected.”
July 17, 2020
Read more
Don’t Saddle Health Providers With Price Controls
Today, Andrew Quinlan, co-founder and president of our coalition member Center for Freedom and Prosperity, authors an op-ed for Inside Sources that rejects price controls and advocates for the New York surprise medical bill model.
Quinlan writes, “California tried rate-setting to address surprise bills and it accelerated provider consolidation, which research shows undermines quality of care and patient access. An alternative, demonstrated in New York, has shown more promising results. Its adoption of an arbitration system called Independent Dispute Resolution saved consumers $400 million over four years thanks to a 34 percent reduction in out-of-network billing.”
June 30, 2020
Read more
Independent medical practices need real relief
In Crain's New York Business today, our president, Christopher Sheeron, offered his latest thoughts on the urgent need for independent medical practice relief.
“As Covid-19 continues to devastate families and businesses nationwide, the need for Washington to step up and help has never been greater. Yet an examination of the federal government’s relief efforts for our health care system shows the main beneficiaries thus far have been large, already-wealthy hospitals. Small and independent medical practices are being hung out to dry.
The future of health care delivery and access to care depends on the survival of independent medical practices. In a year of human and economic devastation, the federal government must rise to the challenge and save them.”
June 22, 2020
Read more
Patient Coalition Urges HHS to Provide Immediate Relief to Independent Medical Practices
Today, we sent a coalition letter to Secretary Alex Azar and Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan. While we primarily focus on eliminating surprise medical bills, we were compelled to write the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding an issue that is even more urgent: real financial relief for small, rural, and independent medical providers.
In the letter, we urge HHS to provide independent medical practices six weeks of direct federal relief relative to lost revenue on an annualized basis, not based on the proportional 2019 Medicare fee-for-service formula the Department is using.
June 18, 2020
Read the letter and press release
Conservative groups united against price controls
Patient Daily published a feature today on the work of our coalition and our allies. “America’s conservative and free market think tanks have declared their unanimous opposition to price controls, as Congress and the Trump administration discuss legislation to address "surprise billing" in healthcare.
They warn that proposals to resolve billing disputes with a "rate-setting" system are "fatally flawed" and would cause "devastating" shortages, disruptions, and large-scale consolidation and reduced competition in the healthcare sector.”
June 17, 2020
Read more
Just Say ‘No’ to Price Controls
Andrew Langer, president of the Institute for Liberty and a member of our coalition, writes in Real Clear Health how price fixing will stifle innovation, damage the doctor-patient relationship, and undermine market competition and transparency.
According to Langer, “Rate setting is the wrong answer to the question over surprise medical bills. Congress and reformers need to look at the policies and practices of Big Insurance.'“
June 11, 2020
Read more
Patient Advocates Send Coalition Letter to the White House
Today, our coalition, now representing more than 10 million patients, sent a letter to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Domestic Policy Council Director Brooke Rollins.
In the letter, we express deep concern over the Administration’s floating of a new plan to address surprise medical bills that lacks any payment mechanism. Our members also urge the White House to work with Congress to support a real independent dispute resolution (IDR) process to solve this critical healthcare issue.
June 2, 2020
Read the letter and press release
Coalition of 18 Free-Market Groups Urges Congressional Leadership to Keep Unnecessary Spending out of “Phase 4” COVID-19 Package
Action for Health was proud to join 17 other free-market organizations today in urging Congressional leadership to keep unnecessary spending and harmful regulations out of a Phase 4 COVID-19 package.
In the letter, we write, "Instituting rate-setting as a way to curb surprise medical bills would result in significant and instant pay cuts to doctors and hospitals across the country, forcing providers to cut back hours at the worst possible time."
May 12, 2020
Action for Health Applauds Union for Standing with Patients
Action for Health issued a press statement today in support of the International Union of Operating Engineers’ (IUOE) position on surprise medical bills.
Our President Christopher Sheeron stated, “We're…energized by the union's support of H.R. 3502, which, with 110 co-sponsors, is the most widely-endorsed surprise medical bill legislation to date. This legislation uses the successful New York State IDR model. If Congress is going to pass anything to address surprise bills once the pandemic subsides, it should implement this approach nationwide.”
April 30, 2020
Two Ways Congress Is Failing Health Care Providers
In Townhall today, Mario Lopez, president of the Hispanic Leadership Fund, offers his latest thoughts on what Congress must do to provide COVID-19 relief for private physician practices. He also explains how lawmakers are failing patients and physicians when it comes to surprise medical bills.
He writes, “…If the threat to independent medical practices continues unchecked, it will lead to one of two options for these offices and facilities and their employees. The first would be to close for good. The second would be to sell, almost certainly to large hospitals, insurance companies, or private equity firms, who are likely to consolidate most of the practices. There is strong evidence that when independent practices are acquired or offices close, prices spike significantly due to a lack of competition."
April 27, 2020
Growing National Healthcare Coalition Urges Congress to Reject Bureaucratic Price Controls in Next Relief Bill
Today, Action for Health joined 26 leading organizations nationwide in standing up for patients. In this new letter, we urge lawmakers to keep the next Coronavirus relief bill clean and reject any attempts to institute rate-setting (price controls) as a way to “fix” surprise medical bills.
Writing to Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy, we said, “Proposals with ‘rate-settng’ are designed to address ‘surprise billing,’ but would have bureaucrats micromanaging the relationships between patients and their doctors and force physicians to accept government mandated price controls on the cost of their procedures. Rate-setting would actually make the problem worse and set the stage for even narrower insurance networks.”
April 16, 2020
'Fixing' the problem of surprise medical bills must not harm Medicare and Medicaid
Mario Lopez, president of one of our coalition partners, the Hispanic Leadership Fund, writes his latest op-ed in The Hill warning that Medicare and Medicaid would be severely harmed if certain California-like "solutions" to surprise medical bills are passed by Congress.
According to Lopez, “Congress should adopt the model for surprise medical bills that New York adopted, one that will not harm Medicare and Medicaid patients. A bipartisan group of 110 members of the House of Representatives has endorsed this model. Any federal law addressing surprise medical bills should focus on fixing the problem for all patients, and not be enacted at the expense of the elderly and those most vulnerable in our communities.”
April 3, 2020
Socialized Medicine Continues Its Creep, Even During a Pandemic
Harry Alford and Kay DeBow, co-founders of one of our coalition partners, the National Black Chamber of Commerce, pen a column for OurWeekly Los Angeles. They write, “…We must guard our nation’s healthcare system from any effort by the federal government to implement socialized medicine. These attempts would crush medical professionals – and devastate their patients – at the worst possible time… Yet, another important health issue is quietly falling victim to this socialized approach: surprise medical billing.”
Alford and DeBow continue, “Congress should take a market-based approach to addressing this surprise billing problem. It should do so, moreover, once this viral outbreak subsides...”
March 26, 2020
24 Groups Oppose Rate-Setting in Coronavirus Package
Action for Health is proud to join today many of the nation’s leading consumer advocates in urging Congress to reject any attempt to ram a surprise medical bill “fix” into Congress’ third COVID-19 relief package.
Writing to Reps. Pelosi and McCarthy and Sens. McConnell and Schumer, we said, “It is critical that at a time of a national emergency you focus on the needs of the country and not use the pandemic as an opportunity to enact government rate-setting that would harm our patients and our healthcare system.”
March 18, 2020
Surprise Billing Legislation Should Put Independent Dispute Resolution at Its Heart
Dr. Marion Mass, co-founder of one of our coalition partners, Practicing Physicians of America (PPA), publishes a new op-ed in Morning Consult. She writes, “With IDR, providers and insurers submit competing ‘offers’ for out-of-network bills, and an independent arbiter picks the more reasonable one. Good-faith negotiation is incentivized upfront, so arbitration is rarely needed at all… To finally address the surprise billing scourge, while minimizing negative side effects to doctors and patients, Congress should proceed with legislation that has IDR, not median benchmarking…”
March 16, 2020
Coalition Letter to Congress
With COVID-19 now a global pandemic, medical professionals are all hands on deck. During this unsettling time, Congress must rethink its priorities. Instead of pushing for surprise medical bill solutions that would restrict critical access to emergency care across the country, Congress should be putting patients first.
We sent a letter today to the three U.S. House Committees working on surprise medical bills, in which we advise them how to eliminate these bills the right way.
March 12, 2020
A4H Coalition Member Andrew Langer Joins the Steve Gruber Show
Andrew Langer, president of the Institute for Liberty, sat down with Steve Gruber for a radio segment to offer his latest views on surprise medical bills.
March 3, 2020
New ‘Surprise’ Bill Coalition Supports Provider-friendly Bill
POLITICO Pulse features the launch of our coalition. Rachel Roubein writes, “There’s another new coalition on “surprise” bills in town… The new group, Action for Health, has a six-figure operating budget and plans a… digital ad campaign in Washington, D.C. and three states early next month… What it wants: Congress to pass legislation modeled off New York’s system for resolving billing disputes between health plans and providers using an independent mediator…”
February 28, 2020
Action for Health Launches
National press statement announcing our formation as a new non-profit to give patients a voice in the surprise medical bill debate.
February 27, 2020
How to Eliminate Surprise Medical Bills
Our latest thoughts on how to eliminate surprise medical bills the right way.
February 27, 2020
*The views expressed by individual authors listed on this page do not necessarily represent the views of Action for Health Inc.