[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 144 (Tuesday, September 10, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H7587-H7588]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              PROTECT PATIENTS FROM SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLS

  (Mr. SPANO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. SPANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to announce a bill I recently 
introduced in the House, the Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical 
Bills Act, which is a companion bill to Senator Scott's recent 
legislation.
  No one seeking medical care should ever have to worry about incurring 
unexpected, crippling expenses, especially when they have done 
everything right by obtaining health insurance. That is why then-
Governor Rick Scott and I worked to pass a bill in Florida to solve 
this issue.
  This law takes patients completely out of the billing process, 
protecting patients from surprise medical bills for emergency services 
and for mistakenly seeing an out-of-network healthcare provider at an 
in-network hospital.
  This bill has experienced widespread success in Florida, which is why 
we are

[[Page H7588]]

introducing legislation to apply these policies to healthcare plans 
regulated at the Federal level.
  I have personally known the fear of being rushed to the emergency 
room. In that moment, no one should have to worry about their finances.
  This bill not only seeks to save Americans money but also provides 
the peace of mind for them to focus on healing.

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