The No Surprises Act legislation is opposed by a number of conservative think tanks on the grounds that it is an unacceptable intervention by the government into the market that raises prices for consumers. But this is in the context of massive govt. intervention in the healthcare market that works to suppress prices. Some examples : Medicare prices are non negotiable and when accounting for inflation reimbursement to physicians is down ~30%. There is also no negotiation with commercial insurers if you are a solo hand surgeon or a small group of pediatricians. If you choose to go in-network .. you accept their prices that are massively discounted relative to what they pay larger systems and organizations who can and do negotiate. Independent Physicians can’t organize together to negotiate with insurers unless they clinically or financially integrate because the government has decided that would violate the Sherman act that bars price fixing. And yet Unions are allowed to collectively bargain on behalf of their members and this does raise prices to consumers. )The long term effect of not allowing physicians to bargain collectively is they either join health systems or integrate into a larger group. ) So.. no I don’t find it at all odd that physicians for once got together (thank you Texas) to create a little leverage for negotiating with insurance companies. If you don’t support the NSA then propose a different mechanism for negotiating that isn’t insurances being allowed to price set. The massive latitude given to insurance companies by the way hasn’t worked to curb healthcare inflation anyway. It’s amusing the latest talking point clearly sourced from insurance companies is on arbitrator profits. Here’s a list of large insurers and their profits in the last quarter. If we are going to play the game of what’s an appropriate amount for doctors to be paid and what profit is appropriate for intermediaries given the cost is ultimately borne by the public , why don’t we play the what insurers should make game as well? Since healthcare costs are so important — should we have a hard cap on insurer profits? Should we ask why CVS is passing on costs to consumers at the rate they do given they had $3billion in profit last quarter ?

If you don’t lock in Original Medicare + a Medigap supplement during your one-time 6-month window when you first become eligible, you may never be able to get it later. Choose Medicare Advantage instead and, in most states, Medigap insurers can reject you for preexisting conditions (or ones you develop) if you try to switch back. Seniors I talk to almost universally don’t understand this and are enticed into Medicare Advantage plans with lower monthly premium sales pitch. They also don’t realize Advantage plans typically have higher medical copays than Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G. MA plans also apply much tighter management (prior auth + step therapy) to Part B drugs like chemo and infusions.