In Fine Print, HHS Seems To Have Banned Surprise Medical Bills During The Pandemic

U.S. officials offering emergency funding to hospitals, clinics and doctors’ practices during the coronavirus pandemic have included this stipulation: They are not permitted to foist surprise medical bills on COVID-19 patients.

But buried in the Department of Health and Human Services’ terms and conditions for eligibility is language that could carry much broader implications. “HHS broadly views every patient as a possible case of COVID-19,” the guidance states.

Some health care analysts say that line could disrupt a longtime health care industry practice of balance billing, in which a patient is billed for the difference between what a provider charges and what the insurer pays. Such charges are a major source of surprise bills, and can be financially devastating for patients. The practice of balance billing is banned in several states, though not federally.