The New York Senate yesterday approved legislation to reduce costly and unexpected medical charges to health insurance consumers, according to a NewsLI report. The bill, S7745, establishes protections and ensures consumers have adequate access to necessary services.
"Primarily for those medical treatments not covered in-network, reports have been prevalent of high unexpected bills to patients, sudden decreases in reimbursements to physicians and surprisingly high charges to healthcare plans," said bill sponsor Senator Kemp Hannon (R-Nassau). "This legislation seeks to address the inequity in each area."
A 2012 report by the state department of financial services detailed several incidents when patients who scheduled procedures with in-network providers later, and without the patient's knowledge, had a non-network provider, specialist or supporting staff perform or assist in the procedure.
The bill has been sent to the state Assembly for consideration.
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"Primarily for those medical treatments not covered in-network, reports have been prevalent of high unexpected bills to patients, sudden decreases in reimbursements to physicians and surprisingly high charges to healthcare plans," said bill sponsor Senator Kemp Hannon (R-Nassau). "This legislation seeks to address the inequity in each area."
A 2012 report by the state department of financial services detailed several incidents when patients who scheduled procedures with in-network providers later, and without the patient's knowledge, had a non-network provider, specialist or supporting staff perform or assist in the procedure.
The bill has been sent to the state Assembly for consideration.
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