Unaffiliated ER Insurance Doctors Cannot Bill You

About a week ago, the New York Times ran a feature article about doctors in ERs that do not take insurance, though you my go to an in network hospital, and who can no longer send "surprise" medical bills. The Trump Administration had bi-partisan support which led to legislation and the Biden Administration fined tuned it pertaining to this issue. These consumer protections include all emergency medical services and most routine care.

Many workers have high deductible policies and they may have a bill to pay with their insurer, but they too will no longer receive bills from out of network doctors in the ER. This is a huge consumer victory, given that many people who go to an in network hospital ER think all services and doctors are covered. And up until recently, most ER doctors were unaffiliated with insurers and now they cannot send separate bills to consumers.

Under the new law, if you go to an in network ER, the out of network doctors, radiologists, and laboratories cannot send bills to you after the fact. This has been a law in California since 2017.

This does not mean that you will never see a bill. What the legislation refers to is if you go to an in network hospital and you didn't choose the doctors who see you, those doctors who don't take insurance, cannot bill you. There are still doctors in the medical system who do not take insurance and if they tell you they don't and you accept their services, like psychiatrists and psychologists, then expect a bill.

The health care system is confusing, perplexing and non-transparent. Whenever you go to the doctor, always inquire if he/she is still part of your health plan, so you are not surprised if things change. 

In the meantime, you can always contact Health Advocate Experts and we can help you sort things out.

Contact us at info@healthadvocateexperts.com.



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