In the wake of the pandemic, federal officials are offering emergency funding to hospitals, clinics and doctors’ practices – but with an interesting stipulation. Providers accepting the funds cannot impose surprise medical bills on COVID-19 patients, such as “balance bills” for unpaid charges. Moreover, the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) conditions for funding eligibility state that HHS “broadly views every patient as a possible case of COVID-19.”The HHS language indicates that the federal government has not forgotten the issue of balance billing – and would prefer providers eliminate the practice – but does it really mean that we will see an end to balance billing? Not likely. While HHS has made no clarification of its meaning, there is little anticipation that balance billing will end anytime soon.
Regardless of federal activity on balance billing, MedBen helps you to protect your plan members from potential balance billing through provider negotiation. We also work with clients to implement plan designs that are cost effective for both the plan sponsor (employer) and employees.
For more information on how MedBen manages balance billing, contact VP of Sales and Marketing Brian Fargus at 888-627-8683.