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Thread: Congratulations to the NY State Assembly

  1. #1

    Congratulations to the NY State Assembly

    This is a rare yet earned post.


    I'm separating this from the political thread as I can't see this being controversial.

    First, the NY State Assembly has passed a budget on time for the third year in a row. This is a major change from past years, as the budget has at times run well into the summer without passage.

    Secondly, it includes long overdue consumer protection from the shell game played by medical providers and insurance companies.

    I have dealt with this issue for years. You go to an ER, or schedule surgery, and one piece of the medical bill is covered under the PPO section of your insurance, yet a nurse, or an attending doctor, anesthesiologist, or other provider, is a contractor to the hospital, not an employee, and as such isn't a part of the PPO coverage.

    The NY State Assembly and the governor have taken steps to change this:

    Protecting Consumers from Surprise Medical Bills: The Budget includes landmark changes designed to protect consumers against the financial nightmare of surprise medical bills from out-of-network physicians. Most importantly, it takes the consumer out of the middle of billing disputes between out-of-network medical physicians and health insurers, and holds the consumer harmless from out-of-network costs in the case of emergencies and surprise bills. The agreement also holds insurers accountable for building and maintaining robust provider networks, so consumers have sufficient in-network health care options. It also incorporates new disclosure requirements aimed at helping consumers identify whether providers are in their network, which will reduce incidents of surprise bills.


    Kudos to both the NY State Assembly, the governor, and in particular my Assemblyman, Cliff Crouch, for including this in the budget. Also, Kudos to Assemblyman Crouch for rapidly responding to questions from a constituent.
    The one eyed man in the kingdom of the blind wasn't king, he was stoned for seeing light.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Windham, Vermont, USA
    Posts
    40,828
    Sounds like progress all around! Congrats to NY state residents at last ...
    I've Been Frosted

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
    Posts
    20,164
    Well done, NY State Assembly and Assemblyman Crouch!!!
    I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?"
    Death thought about it.
    CATS, he said eventually. CATS ARE NICE.

    -- Terry Pratchett (1948—2015), Sourcery

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Kentucky, LAND OF THE EASILY AMUSED
    Posts
    25,224
    Wow.

    I went to see the specialist that I as referred to AFTER my HMO insurance kicked in and I was told that I wasn't eligible to see her again unless I paid out of pocket.

    I need to call my primary and get another referral. Both these physicians work for the same university med center and the specialist had no problem scheduling me for two procedures - until I bought my totally bitching government mandated, better-than-what-I-had-before insurance?

    Thank god that the procedures/tests didn't find anything wrong, otherwise I'd be on pins and needles waiting to figure out if I was ill or had something that I really needed to have looked at.

    But hey, that is what they call 'progress'?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Westchester Cty, NY
    Posts
    8,738
    Well done, NYS Assembly. It's good to see them actually carrying out the people's business for a change!
    I've been finally defrosted by cassiesmom!
    "Not my circus, not my monkeys!"-Polish proverb

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