FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2021
+1 (202) 823-2333
WASHINGTON — With the Senate confirming Xavier Becerra as the next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services this afternoon,
Action for Health released the following statement:
"We extend our many congratulations to Secretary Becerra upon taking the helm at HHS during this most challenging time. From quickly staffing up the department and the many pandemic issues at hand, to the largest-ever expansion of the Affordable Care Act and carrying out the $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill, much work is ahead. However, the agency's implementation of the No Surprises Act will -- and should -- quickly become a top priority.
"This law has many significant implications for patients' access to care, and there is no doubt that health insurance companies are already trying to rig its implementation. Their advocates are claiming the law's independent dispute resolution (IDR) process should both focus on and favor the insurance companies' median in-network rates. That is not what the law says, nor is that its intent. Each party to the IDR process must be treated fairly, and all information provided by both sides must be considered equally.
"We look forward to working with Secretary Becerra, his team, and other federal partners to ensure that this surprise medical bill law is implemented without bias and in the best interest of patients."
