Sharice Davids: Kansas patients just got major relief from surprise health care bills
On Jan. 1, amid celebrations, fireworks and last-minute resolutions, American health care policy took a major step forward for patients. You may have missed it — but for millions of Americans who have been asking for relief on health care costs and me, it was the culmination of years of work to make our system more affordable, fair and accessible.
Because on New Year’s Day, new consumer protections against surprise medical billing went into effect, essentially ending one of the most egregious practices in our country’s health care system.
Health care is one of the top issues I hear about from folks in our community. High premiums, prescription drugs costs — these are the things that keep families up at night, worrying about how they can make ends meet. After carefully balancing their budget, an unexpected expense can spiral into a big problem, impacting rent, groceries and retirement savings.
Unfortunately, surprise medical bills are a far too common experience. I’ve heard from countless Kansans who were hit with an unexpected bill — sometimes after what they thought was a routine appointment with an in-network provider. Often, these bills couldn’t come at a worse time: Nearly 20% of patients who visit an emergency room end up being treated by an out-of-network provider.
During a medical emergency, the last thing you need is an expensive bill you never even saw coming. And as the pandemic puts strain on people’s finances as well as their health, that extra bill can cause even more damage.
In my first term, I was hearing about this so much that I held a roundtable and invited folks from our community to share their stories. One person shared that they were diagnosed with a rare form of cancer years ago, and part of their treatment required receiving a shot every so often to manage the symptoms. They received one shot at their doctor’s office and were hit with a $42,000 bill.
Another shared how they were experiencing pain from a prior injury, so they went to the nearby emergency room for help. The ER observed them for a few hours and sent them home. Afterward, they found out the ER was considered out of network when they were hit with a massive bill, depleting their entire savings.
Just a few months ago, I ran into this issue myself after I received care I was told wouldn’t cost more than $500 — only to receive a bill in the mail for multiple times that amount.
These stories are frustrating, heartbreaking even devastating — and they all fueled my work to end unfair medical billing practices. It was a proud moment when I finally voted to pass a major patient protection package in late 2020, which included my original legislation to promote insurer transparency along with other consumer protections. As of Jan. 1, that legislation is in effect.
Under this new law, people no longer have to worry that seeking emergency medical attention will lead to unexpected financial ruin. The new guidelines ban out-of-network billing for emergency services, regardless of where they are given.
People no longer have to deal with the frustration of visiting an in-network facility and unknowingly receiving — and paying for — care from an out-of-network provider, such as an anesthesiologist or assistant surgeon.
My specific piece of the law prevents people from accidentally seeking out-of-network care. Now, insurance plans are required to keep up-to-date lists of their in-network providers for patients to reference when making appointments.
My work continues. This term, I introduced original legislation to close a health insurance loophole that can lead to major unexpected costs for new parents, and I voted to cap the price of insulin at $35 per month. I’ve continued pushing to expand Medicaid in Kansas and to allow Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices. These new consumer protections are a major win for patients across the country, but I know there’s much more to be done to lower health care costs for Kansans.
Each new year represents both endings and beginnings. This year, I am proud to have helped bring the end of many harmful medical billing practices and the beginning of more peace of mind for Kansans.
Sharice Davids represents Kansas’ 3rd District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
