SUBJECT: The No Surprises Act Discussion Draft Comments
Dear Chairman Pallone and Ranking Member Walden,
The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons
(CNS), representing more than 4,000 practicing neurosurgeons in the United States, thank you for the
opportunity to provide feedback on your draft legislation “The No Surprises Act.” Americans continue to
struggle with rising health care costs, including high deductibles and other out-of-pocket expenses. As
such, a balanced solution for cost-sharing between patients, physicians and health plans is a priority for
organized neurosurgery.
Patients deserve access to the physicians of their choice, which at times may require seeking care from
out-of-network physicians. Unfortunately, the current health care delivery system, with its arcane rules,
narrow networks, and lack of transparency, often leaves patients vulnerable. As physicians, we can and
must do better, to assure that our patients are not left with medical bills that can soar into the thousands
of dollars, leaving them financially devastated. The AANS and CNS, therefore, applaud your effort to
tackle the issue of unanticipated medical bills. We also appreciate your willingness to work with the
medical community to refine your bill, as we have some concerns about the draft, and urge you to make
changes to reflect our comments.
NEUROSURGERY’S POSITION ON OUT-OF-NETWORK CARE
In formulating legislation to prevent the practice of so-called “surprise billing,” it is essential to understand
the origin of these unanticipated medical bills. When insured patients are treated in the hospital, they
should be confident in the knowledge that their health insurance will cover them. Unfortunately, a
growing number of these patients are finding out too late that their coverage is far less comprehensive
than they thought. Increasingly, insurers are making unsuspecting patients responsible for additional
payments of covered services provided by hospital-based physicians who are not in their insurer’s
network. Insurers further exacerbate this problem by enticing consumers to enroll in plans with ever-growing deductibles and ever-narrowing networks of providers.
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