Many families face financial difficulties because unexpected medical costs were not covered by their health insurance. All too often, this is because a physician or health care provider is out of network, a fact unknown to the participant at the time of service.
Fortunately for many, the No Surprises Act, effective January 1, 2022, minimizes the amounts that participants in a group health plan must pay for medical care received from physicians or other healthcare providers outside of their plan’s network and limits providers ability to bill patients directly for amounts not paid by healthcare plans.
At a glance, the interim rules related to surprise billing will ban the following:
High out of network cost sharing for emergency series. Instead, group health care plans will be required to treat emergency service provided by out of network providers or facilities as in network when calculating cost sharing.
Out of network charges for ancillary care such as anesthesia, radiology, labs, and pathology at in network hospitals or ambulatory centers. Ancillary care will be billed at the in network rate.
Out of network charges without advance notice. Patients and their families must understand what to expect so they can make informed choices regarding care.
Although the No Surprises Act will help to limit surprise billing for out or network charges, individuals and families can be left with tens of thousands of unpaid medical bills when medical emergencies strike. Many consider bankruptcy protection as a strategy to eliminate unexpected and costly medical bills and to discharge credit card debt used to bridge the gaps.
Get Relief From Medical Bills
A Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy will stop creditors from taking collection activity against you. When you have questions regarding bankruptcy protection for out of network medical bills, the first step is to visit with an experienced bankruptcy attorney to discuss your unique circumstances. Contact Charles E Covey for help today at 309-674-8125.
