CFIF Urges Congress to Reject Rate-Setting As 'Fix' to Surprise Billing Issue

By CFIF Staff
Monday, December 07 2020

December 7, 2020

The Honorable Mitch McConnell

United States Senate Majority Leader

317 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Kevin McCarthy

Minority Leader, United States House of Representatives

2468 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

Dear Majority Leader McConnell and Minority Leader McCarthy:

On behalf of the Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF) and over 300,000 supporters and activists across the nation, I write regarding an issue of utmost immediate importance: any potential proposal from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to include some iteration of medical rate-setting as part of a negotiating offer to you and the United States Senate in any upcoming coronavirus relief legislative proposal.

CFIF, along with numerous other conservative and libertarian organizations, stands resolute against any such possibility, and urge you and your fellow Senators to dissuade her from even attempting such an offer, and flatly rejecting any such offer that might be forthcoming.

It bears emphasis that CFIF, alongside other organizations, agree that surprise medical billing remains an issue that Congress ultimately must address. That does not, however, justify counterproductive legislative proposals that enable the government to set payments between providers and health insurers (aka a “benchmark” rate).

Such rate-setting schemes will bring more harm than benefit. For proof, look no further than California, where similar efforts resulted in higher premiums, a 50% increase in consumer complaints and multiple physician office closures.

To reiterate, although the issue of surprise medical billing merits commonsense Congressional action, any coronavirus relief package offers a totally inappropriate vehicle for medical rate-setting or benchmarking, which is never an acceptable “fix” under any circumstance.

Thank you very much for your attention to this important matter, and please feel free to contact me at your convenience with any questions or comments.

Sincerely,

/s/

Jeffrey Mazzella

President

cc: Members of the U.S. Senate

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives

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