House Ways and Means Committee Passes Rep. Wenstrup-Backed Bill to Improve Access to Health Care Providers

Targeted News Service (Press Releases)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, issued the following news release:

Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) together with Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI) introduced bipartisan legislation, H.R. 8885, the Better Health Care Directories Act, Monday to ensure that insurance plans regularly update their provider directories and include information about whether a provider is accepting new patients as well as whether a provider offers in-person or telehealth appointments. The legislation passed the House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday.

"As a physician, I would sometimes have patients come into my office crying because their insurance said that our practice was in-network, even though we were not. That's a position no patient should ever be put in," said Rep. Brad Wenstrup. "I'm pleased that this legislation will ensure that patients have transparent access to information about whether a provider is accepting new patients and whether telehealth appointments are available, building off bipartisan legislation I championed with Rep. Larson, (D-CT) that was ultimately passed into law, the Know Your Provider Act of 2020, to ensure patients have access to up-to-date information on the providers within their insurance company's network. This legislation continues the bipartisan work of the Ways and Means Committee to empower patients with the knowledge and tools they need to make the best decisions for their health and well-being."

Background: Consumer reports from recent years have shown that health insurance provider directories frequently contain errors such as mislabeling whether a provider is in-network, whether the provider is accepting new patients, and inaccurate phone numbers.

This bill requires private health insurance providers to submit provider directory information to the Secretaries of the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury. The Departments would be required to post the directories publicly.

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