The New York State Senate passed legislation to protect patients against “surprise” medical bills. The new agreement will assist in protecting consumers by requiring that patients receive notification prior to treatment from an out of network provider. In the past, providers weren’t mandated to disclose if they were not within the patients covered providers, resulting in substantial medical bills.
If treatment by an out of network provider is necessary, the patient will be notified and will only be charged their normal co-pay.
The bill also requires each health plan is able to meet the needs of their members. An external review system will handle any disputes or concerns regarding patients who feel their providers are unable to meet their needs.
The Bills provides patients with an abundance of information that was not previously available. For more information, click here.
