Gryphon Healthcare Warns Proposed Surprise Billing Legislation Could Have Serious Implications for Patients, Providers
Healthcare Industry Urges Congress to Consider Legislation That Allows Physicians to Fairly Negotiate Surprise Billing Disputes With Insurance Companies
DENVER, Oct. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- In booth #2214 at ACEP Scientific Assembly, Gryphon Healthcare, a leading revenue cycle and management services provider, today announced that it opposes legislation allowing government-set payment benchmarks for handling surprise medical bill disputes. Set benchmarks would ultimately give insurance companies the power to determine pricing on medical treatment, and prevent a level playing field where physicians can fairly negotiate with insurers. The greatest impact from this proposed legislation would fall on emergency rooms where more than 70% of uninsured care occurs.
"On average, our ER provider clients are reimbursed $128 per encounter. This proposed legislation could reduce those rates as much as 50% while insurance companies reap the financial reward," explains Rhonda Sandel, CEO of Gryphon Healthcare. "We demand that Congress protect these patients from surprise medical bills without letting insurance companies dodge their responsibility to cover the patient's care."
Additionally, many physicians, healthcare providers, and service providers like Gryphon Healthcare agree that this legislation would result in limited care at rural hospitals where it would be difficult to hire specialists. Physicians could lose the ability to negotiate, and would move away from geographic areas where benchmark pricing does not cover costs for their services. Many organizations are questioning the economic viability of such an approach and pointing out the source of the problem—inadequate health insurance networks.
The growing concern from Gryphon Healthcare and healthcare providers alike have not fallen on deaf ears as proposed legislation including the bipartisan Protecting People from Surprise Medical Bills Act are being introduced to Congress. This proposal outlines a framework that removes patients from medical bill disputes while ensuring that they have access to medical care wherever they need it and provides a platform for fair negotiations between physicians and insurance companies.
"At Gryphon we support policy that incorporates a fair and independent dispute resolution mechanism, and encourages Congress to consider the unintended consequences of government price-setting," says Sandel. "Our patients, physicians, and the entire health care system are relying on their leadership."
About Gryphon
Gryphon Healthcare was founded by a collective team of clinicians, owners and long-time administrators who pull their experience and expertise together to help hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, freestanding emergency rooms, physician groups and large practices thrive in the ever-changing world of healthcare. For more information or to contact Gryphon, visit http://www.gryphonhc.com or 832-653-3200
SOURCE Gryphon Healthcare
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