Granite State Times

A bill cosponsored by U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) that eliminates "surprise" hospital costs for people hospitalized in emergencies has officially taken effect at the start of this year, according to Seacoast Current.

The "No Surprises Act," cosponsored by Hassan and U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), eliminates the practice of billing patients who are hospitalized outside their health provider's network for expensive services, limiting them to paying only what they would normally pay for in-network care.

"It's outrageous that Americans could take every step possible to ensure that their care is covered by their insurance but still end up with unexpected medical bills,’’ Hassan tweeted Jan. 7. "The bipartisan No Surprises Act helps put an end to this absurd practice."

The measure was included in a government funding bill that former President Donald Trump signed into law in December 2020.

“After a harrowing emergency, countless Granite Staters and families across the country have returned home only to be saddled with an unfair medical bill," Hassan said, according to Seacoast Current. "Sometimes to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars, because an out-of-network doctor treated them."

However, the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the American Medical Association (AMA) filed a lawsuit shortly after the bill's signing.

The organizations issued a statement noting that while they stand for protecting patients from unexpected medical costs and helped contribute to the legislation's passage, they are concerned that the new law benefits health insurers while reducing provider networks.

"The lawsuit challenges a narrow but critical provision of a rule issued on Sept. 30, 2021, by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other agencies," the groups said. "The provision being challenged ignores requirements specified in the No Surprises Act and would result in reduced access to care for patients."

Despite the lawsuit, the bill remains in effect, and anyone who believes they have received a "surprise" medical bill may contact the Department of Health and Human Services through a new national hotline at 1-800-985-3059.