Starting July 1, 2017, Californians are protected against surprise medical bills from out-of-network providers, also known as “balance billing.” California is now among 21 states with consumer protections against balance billing. Under California’s new law, if you visit an in-network facility – such as a hospital, lab or imaging center – you will be responsible only for your in-network share of the cost, even if you’re seen by an out-of-network provider.
“This is a very big deal,” says Tam Ma, legal and policy director for the advocacy group Health Access California. “We’ve heard from hundreds of consumers who were getting these surprise bills.”
Read the full Kaiser Health News article here.
