American College of Surgeons Commends Ways and Means Exercise of Jurisdiction Over Surprise Billing

WASHINGTON, DC: The American College of Surgeons (ACS) was pleased to see the announcement yesterday that the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means is developing a plan to address the issue of surprise medical billing. The ACS agrees that patients in emergency situations should not be responsible for anything more than the patient’s in-network share of the payment, but opposed recent proposals that would accomplish that goal through the further empowerment of insurers over physicians. The ACS also appreciates what appears to be a congressional willingness to better examine this complex issue and not rush a bad solution to offset other end-of-year health care programs. The ACS continues to urge Congress to develop legislative solutions that protect patients from surprise medical bills, promote access to appropriate medical care, and encourage insurers to negotiate in good faith with physicians to establish adequate provider networks and fair remuneration.

About the American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has approximately 90,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Contact

• Email: pressinquiry@facs.org