Clermont Times

Reps. Brad Wenstrup, Greg Murphy, Bill Pascrell, and Joe Morelle, along with 35 additional Members of Congress, have penned a letter to key government officials urging the Biden Administration to ensure the proper implementation of the No Surprises Act. The letter, addressed to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor Julie Su, emphasizes the importance of addressing various issues such as the qualified payment amount (QPA), network shrinking, compliance, and enforcement to safeguard patient access to care under the Act.

Representative Wenstrup, a physician himself, highlighted the significance of enacting the No Surprises Act correctly to protect patients and healthcare providers, stating, "As a physician and lawmaker, it is deeply important to me that the No Surprises Act, which Congress passed on a bipartisan basis, is enacted properly to ensure the wellbeing of patients and health care providers."

Representative Murphy echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for continued oversight and enforcement to protect patients, stating, "The proper implementation of the bipartisan No Surprises Act remains an issue we are deeply concerned about. Continued oversight of QPA calculations, improved monitoring of shrinking in-network contracts, and greater regulatory enforcement of statutory requirements are essential to protecting patients."

Meanwhile, Representative Morelle stressed the importance of ending surprise medical billing to bring peace of mind to families across the country, affirming, "No patient should fear being blindsided with massive, unexpected medical bills in the middle of an emergency."

Representative Pascrell underscored the bipartisan unity on the issue, emphasizing the significance of implementing the Act fully to protect Americans from high medical costs, saying, "The abolishment of surprise medical bills was a historic victory for American families, so it is essential that that prohibition endures and is implemented fully."

The letter also received support from additional cosigners from both parties, demonstrating a unified effort to ensure the No Surprises Act is effectively implemented to benefit all Americans.