As you know Ohio ACEP has been working on the issue of surprise billing for several years now. Recently we sent you a call to action in opposition to House Bill 388, which would have put into law a statutory rate cap for physicians and heavily favored the insurance companies.
We thank each of you who heeded that call to action! We know it made a huge difference. Legislators at the statehouse mentioned they were hearing from emergency physicians in their districts!
Over the last week and half since the most recent hearing, Ohio ACEP, the Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA) and our other physician group partners, have been working diligently on an alternative proposal. We are pleased to report that the House Finance Committee has accepted a new version of HB 388 that addresses many of our most pressing concerns.
The bill will now create an initial payment offer of the greatest of three (Median in-network; Out-of-network; or Medicare) BUT creates a process for meaningful arbitration should the physician choose to not accept the initial payment.
Is the bill as it currently stands perfect? No. But if enacted into law, it will not have the devastating effect on emergency medicine’s sustainability that the previous version would have had. It is a mostly reasonable compromise that we could live with.
Again, we thank the members of Ohio ACEP who took the time to reach out to your legislators. Please know it had the intended impact!
This bill is scheduled for a House vote tomorrow, after which it will go to the Senate for consideration. Stay tuned, we may reach out again! Our Ohio ACEP EM Advocates are the best!
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Ohio ACEP Government Affairs Team
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Ryan Squier, MD, FACEP
Chapter President
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Baruch Fertel, MD, FACEP
Government Affairs Chair
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Amanda Sines
Government Advantage Group
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