Sen. Hassan Issues Statement on Draft Legislative Package to Lower Health Care Costs

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire, issued the following statement in response to draft legislation to lower health care costs released by Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, and Patty Murray, D-Washington, which includes proposals to end surprise medical billing:

"I thank Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray for recognizing the importance of addressing surprise medical billing and for including an arbitration option in the discussion draft they released today.

"I continue to believe that the bipartisan STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act - given its support from stakeholders on all sides of this issue - is the most viable option to become law and end the absurd practice of surprise medical bills.

"Every day, patients continue to receive these outrageous bills in the mail, and I will keep working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass bipartisan legislation without delay."

Senator Hassan joined her colleagues last week to introduce the bipartisan STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act to end the practice of surprise medical billing, which includes a "baseball-style" arbitration process to solve disputes between providers and insurance companies.