The plan to fix surprise billing

Lawmakers are trying again to fix “surprise billing” after the No Surprises Act, but negotiations are running into pushback tied to the new arbitration system for out-of-network disputes. POLITICO reports that the process has seen far more claims than expected, with doctors sometimes receiving very large payouts for services such as breast reduction or spinal surgeries. Insurance industry lobby AHIP’s Chris Bond called for an end to the “gold rush.” Doctors, however, say insurers are not paying awarded claims after arbitration and are working to suppress in-network rates. Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.) says the issue is not partisan and has introduced a bill adding penalties for insurers that don’t pay. Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) and others argue the process is “stacked” against physicians, while insurers contend the proposal doesn’t stop arbitration gaming. Separately, a Sunday stopgap bill would block President Donald Trump from finalizing a plan to put political appointees in charge of approving grants.