Surprise medical billing — when patients are unexpectedly charged exorbitant prices from providers who do not accept the patient's insurance — is squarely on the radar of policymakers inside the beltway. However, a popular proposed solution is likely to do more harm than good.
Surprise bills from out-of-network providers can be eye-popping. Whether it is a $109,000 bill for a heart attack patient rushed to a nearby out-of-network hospital or a urine test that cost $18,000, everyone has heard a story about surprise medical bills — and most people wonder why the legal system can't figure out a way to protect patients from them.
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