Starting January 1, 2021, each hospital operating in the United States will be required to provide clear, accessible pricing information online about items and services they provide in two ways: 1. As a comprehensive machine-readable file with all items and services. 2. In a display of shoppable services in a consumer-friendly format. This information will make it easier for consumers to shop and compare prices across all hospitals and estimate the cost of care before going to the hospital. AMAC-SUPPORTED BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW President Trump signed three AMAC-supported bills into law. In June, he signed the Major Medical and Facility Authorization Act of 2020 which authorizes funding for the construction of medical facilities, including spinal cord and critical care centers, to better serve our veterans. AMAC also supported the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 which provides much needed flexibility to assist businesses in recovering from the economic hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic. President Trump also signed this bill into law in June. In late December 2020, President Trump signed the Promoting Alzheimer’s Awareness to Prevent Elder Abuse Act . This law instructs the Department of Justice to consult with relevant stakeholders to ensure that effective training materials are developed for anyone who responds to, investigates, or prosecutes cases of elder abuse involving seniors who are afflicted with dementias. This will ensure that caregivers, health providers, law enforcement, and others can be fully aware of the cognitive, physical, and emotional symptoms people suffering with Alzheimer’s and other dementias experience. Surprise Medical Billing AMAC Action worked with a coalition of physician and patient advocates to end surprise medical billing and previously supported legislative proposals to address this issue. Surprise medical billing occurs when American patients receive care from providers, typically in the emergency room, for services in which they generally had no choice in receiving. In December 2020, Congress inserted surprise medical billing language in a spending package that was signed into law by President Trump that contained much of what AMAC Action had recommended to address this issue, including: • Protects patients from surprise medical bills - under this agreement, they don’t have to pay any more than their in-network cost sharing • Does not increase premiums for patients • Empowers consumers by providing a true and honest cost estimate that describes which providers will deliver their treatment, the personalized cost of services, and provider network status • Protects all stakeholders, most importantly patients, while also ensuring a pathway for resolution of payment disputes for health care services that are consistent with private market practices • If a health care provider is not satisfied with the payment they receive, they can initiate an open negotiation period and, if no resolution is reached, can pursue a dispute resolution process where an independent arbitrator considers relevant factors and determines a fair payment • This independent dispute resolution process fairly decides an appropriate payment for services based on the facts and relevant data of each case. This results in savings by stopping bad actors from driving up costs across the health care system, and those savings will be reinvested in important priorities like community health centers
AMAC Action | www.amacaction.org | 855.809.6976 | info@amacaction.org
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