Statement for the Record
on behalf of the
American Association of Neurological Surgeons
and the
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
before the
Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health
U.S. House of Representatives
on the topic of
Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
2:00 p.m.
1100 of the Longworth House Office Building
Chairman Doggett, Ranking Member Nunes and members of the Subcommittee, the American
Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS),
representing more than 4,000 practicing neurosurgeons in the United States, thank you for the
opportunity to submit a statement for the record regarding your hearing titled, “Protecting Patients
from Surprise Medical Bills.” Americans continue to struggle with rising health care costs, including
high deductibles and other out-of-pocket expenses. As such, a balanced solution for cost-sharing
between patients, physicians and health plans is a priority for organized neurosurgery.
Patients deserve access to the physicians of their choice, which at times may require seeking care
from out-of-network physicians. Unfortunately, the current health care delivery system, with its arcane
rules, narrow networks, and lack of transparency, often leaves patients vulnerable. As physicians, we
can and must do better, to assure that our patients are not left with medical bills that can soar into the
thousands of dollars, leaving them financially devastated. The AANS and the CNS, therefore,
applaud your effort to tackle the issue of unanticipated medical bills.
NEUROSURGERY’S POSITION ON OUT-OF-NETWORK CARE
In formulating legislation to prevent the practice of so-called “surprise billing,” it is essential to
understand the origin of these unanticipated medical bills. When insured patients are treated in the
hospital, they should be confident in the knowledge that their health insurance will cover them.
Unfortunately, a growing number of these patients are finding out too late that their coverage is far
less comprehensive than they thought. Increasingly, insurers are making unsuspecting patients
responsible for additional payments of covered services provided by hospital-based physicians who
are not in their insurer’s network. Insurers further exacerbate this problem by enticing consumers to
enroll in plans with ever-growing deductibles and ever-narrowing networks of providers.
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