In letter to House leadership, Rep. Morelle leads 43 bipartisan colleagues in push for an independent dispute resolution system
(Washington, DC) – Today, Congressman Joe Morelle (D – Monroe County) released a letter (attached) sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D – San Francisco) and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R – Bakersfield) urging action to end the predatory practice of surprise billing that leaves patients with massive, unexpected charges after receiving emergency medical care.
In the letter, Rep. Morelle led a group of 43 bipartisan colleagues to push for the use of a meaningful independent dispute resolution system to take patients out of the middle and ensure a fair outcome.
“Patients, doctors, and hospitals are relying on us to address this issue without harming the quality of our health care system or hurting our local economies,” writes Rep. Morelle in the letter.
“A benchmarked, one-size-fits-all, approach would hinder network adequacy and access to care, particularly in rural and underserved areas. In contrast, instituting a neutral, independent review process after direct negotiations between the parties can lower health care costs without massive disruptions to the health care market,” he added.
The full letter is attached. Recently, Rep. Morelle published an op-ed on his proposed solution to surprise billing which can be read here.
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