Post by Logan on Jun 16, 2016 16:46:57 GMT -6
TRENTON - New Jersey consumers pay nearly $1 billion more in health care premiums because patients are unwittingly treated by doctors and hospitals that aren't in their insurance networks, much to their surprise, according to a study released Thursday by advocacy groups.
The surprise out-of-network bills contribute to New Jersey's health care costs that are among the highest in the nation, the study by New Jersey Policy Perspective and NJ for Health Care found.
"These are costs they would not normally pay if these were appropriate charges," said Raymond Castro, senior policy analyst for New Jersey Policy Perspective, a left-leaning research group. "That cost is going to be transferred to consumers in the form of premiums. Someone has to pay for these costs.”
The groups released their study to call attention to bills in the Legislature that would cut down on out-of-network charges that have caught some consumers by surprise.
Read more: www.app.com/story/money/business/consumer/2016/06/16/out-of-network-medical-bills/85918086/
The surprise out-of-network bills contribute to New Jersey's health care costs that are among the highest in the nation, the study by New Jersey Policy Perspective and NJ for Health Care found.
"These are costs they would not normally pay if these were appropriate charges," said Raymond Castro, senior policy analyst for New Jersey Policy Perspective, a left-leaning research group. "That cost is going to be transferred to consumers in the form of premiums. Someone has to pay for these costs.”
The groups released their study to call attention to bills in the Legislature that would cut down on out-of-network charges that have caught some consumers by surprise.
Read more: www.app.com/story/money/business/consumer/2016/06/16/out-of-network-medical-bills/85918086/