HB1231

The New Hampshire Medical Society has concerns about this bill. While we strongly support transparency in health care and ensuring that patients are informed and empowered in making decisions about their care, several elements of this proposal raise significant questions. Many physicians are employed by hospitals or health systems and are not directly involved in, nor do they oversee, the billing process. As drafted, it is unclear whether physicians could be held responsible for the actions of hospital billing departments over which they have no authority or control. We believe the bill requires greater clarity to avoid unintended liability and confusion. We are also under the impression that much of the information contemplated in this legislation is already available to patients through electronic patient portals and upon request. If transparency requirements are already being met through existing mechanisms, it is unclear what problem this legislation is intended to solve. For these reasons, we respectfully oppose this bill and urge the Committee to vote ITL. We encourage careful consideration of whether additional statutory requirements are necessary if the stated goals of transparency are already being achieved.

Isn’t this what EOBs are for? They are sent to us or we can go on line and look at them. This is impractical my doctor doesn’t have time to talk to me about billing in the few minutes he is in the room with me, and the admin staff isn’t going to know what services he will bill for before he sees me.

Please vote NO on HB 1231! Meredith Jordan 31 Chestnut Street #211 Exeter, NH 03833

This bill would duplicate the information contained in the Explanation of Benefits clients receive from insurance companies as well as cause undue hardship on clinicians who are already drowning in unpaid paperwork, as unlike physicians, we generally cannot afford administrative assistants and do our own paperwork. Also, a patient can ASK for this information at any time- to mandate it is not necessary. I believe that this bill passing would have many more therapists leave insurance panels, causing more clients to have to pay out of pocket. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.