Biden’s plan to stop surprise medical bills faces bipartisan pushback in Congress

The detente that allowed Congress to pass a law curbing surprise medical bills has disintegrated. A bipartisan group of 152 lawmakers have been assailing the Biden administration’s plan to regulate the law and medical providers, warning of grim consequences for underserved patients.

For years, patients have faced these massive, unexpected bills when they get treatment from hospitals or doctors outside their insurance company’s network. It often happens when patients seek care at an in-network hospital but a physician such as an emergency room doctor or anesthesiologist who treats the patient is not covered by the insurance plan. The insurer would pay only a small part of the bill, and the unsuspecting patient would be responsible for the balance.

Congress passed the No Surprises Act last December to shield patients from that experience after long, hard-fought negotiations with providers and insurers finally yielded an agreement that lawmakers from both parties thought was fair: a 30-day negotiation period between health providers and insurers when disputes over bills arise; that would be followed by arbitration if agreements can’t be reached.