Empowering Patient Choice of Medical Care Act

Empowering Patient Choice of Medical Care Act

This bill prohibits the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services from refusing to designate a service as a covered hospital outpatient service under Medicare based solely on its determination that the service can only be furnished in an inpatient setting.

Bill 118 hr 2862, also known as the Empowering Patient Choice of Medical Care Act, is a piece of legislation currently being considered by the US Congress. The main goal of this bill is to give patients more control over their medical care by allowing them to choose their own healthcare providers, regardless of whether those providers are in their insurance network.

The bill would prohibit insurance companies from penalizing patients for seeking care from out-of-network providers by limiting their coverage or charging them higher out-of-pocket costs. This would give patients the freedom to choose the healthcare providers that best meet their needs, rather than being restricted to a limited network of providers chosen by their insurance company.

Additionally, the Empowering Patient Choice of Medical Care Act aims to increase transparency in healthcare pricing by requiring providers to disclose the cost of their services upfront. This would help patients make more informed decisions about their care and avoid unexpected medical bills. Overall, supporters of the bill argue that it would empower patients to take control of their healthcare decisions and ensure that they receive the best possible care. Critics, however, raise concerns about the potential impact on insurance costs and the quality of care provided by out-of-network providers. As of now, the Empowering Patient Choice of Medical Care Act is still in the early stages of the legislative process, and it remains to be seen whether it will be passed into law.