Insurance — Balance or “Surprise” Billing

Goal: To preserve a physician’s right to balance bill for out-of-network services while increasing accountability to the health plans for adequate networks.

• Increase patient awareness and responsibility through education prior to treatment, and expand the mediation process to circumstances where patients are receiving a surprise bill.
• Hold insurance companies accountable for adequate networks and consumer information.
• Provide the Texas Department of Insurance with the resources to police and hold accountable insurance companies on their network adequacy and better protect the consumer.