IPSIS Supports Balanced Legislation to Protect Patients from Surprise Billing

On October 16, 2019, the International Pain and Spine Intervention Society joined the AMA and 109 other health care stakeholder organizations in submitting letters to the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate in support of a balanced legislative solution to protect patients from unanticipated (“surprise”) medical bills that can occur when gaps in health insurance coverage lead them to receive care from out-of-network physicians or other providers.

The stakeholder letter outlines the essential elements of a balanced approach:

• A timely upfront, commercially reasonable payment for out-of-network services
• An efficient independent dispute resolution (IDR) process designed to incentivize health insurers to make a fair initial offer of payment for out-of-network care provided to their customers
• Encouragement of health insurance companies and providers to contract for in-network care to avoid adverse market distortions or patient access problems
• Strong, measurable, and enforceable network adequacy requirements
• Enforcement of federal mental health and substance use disorder parity and prudent layperson laws.
  

Link to letter to U.S. House of Representatives
Link to letter to U.S. Senate

IPSIS is able to participate in advocacy efforts organized by the American Medical Association due to IPSIS members who maintain their own membership in the AMA. Help IPSIS maintain its seat at this important table by keeping your AMA membership current.