AHA-supported bill would ban health plan fees for electronic fund transfers

Nov 28, 2023 - 02:48 PM
health-insurance-loss

A bipartisan group of House members Nov. 28 introduced AHA-supported legislation that would prohibit health insurers from charging fees for standard electronic fund transfers to pay health care providers for services. Commercial insurers often automatically charge health care providers a percentage-based fee for EFT payments. 

“These fees effectively reduce contracted rates and cost hospitals and health care systems substantial amounts of money that could otherwise be invested into patient care,” AHA said in a letter of support for the bill, introduced by Reps. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., Morgan Griffith, R-Va., Ami Bera, D-Calif., Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, and Kim Schrier, D-Wash. “EFT fees, which are essentially forcing hospitals to pay money to get paid, are especially egregious given all of the other financially-motivated tactics that commercial health insurers routinely use to delay or deny care for patients.”

Related News Articles

Headline
AHA calls on MedPAC to act on physician fee schedule payments following recommendations 
The AHA today urged the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to take specific actions on physician fee schedule payments following recommendations the…
Chairperson's File
Chair File: Leadership Dialogue — Importance of Advocacy and Storytelling in Rural Health with Lori Wightman, R.N., CEO of Bothwell Regional Health Center
Public
Rural hospitals and health systems face big challenges, but together — with a unified voice — we can work to ensure people living in rural communities get the…
Headline
HHS announces restructuring plan
The Department of Health and Human Services March 27 announced a series of actions as part of a department-wide restructuring. The department said the moves…
Headline
AHA provides recommendations to PTAC to improve participation in population-based total cost-of-care, primary and specialty care models 
The AHA March 27 made a series of recommendations to the Physician‐Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee to address barriers to participating in…
Headline
Senate Finance Committee holds confirmation hearing for CMS administrator nominee Mehmet Oz 
The Senate Finance Committee March 14 held a confirmation hearing on Mehmet Oz's nomination for administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid…
Headline
MedPAC report to Congress details FY 2026 recommendations 
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission March 13 released its March report to Congress that includes recommendations for hospital and other Medicare payment…