Contrasts in Surprise Billing Measures Show Industry Tug-of-War (1)

A trio of draft bills that would get consumers off the hook for exorbitant surprise medical bills have much in common, but they differ slightly in terms of how insurers and doctors hash out their payments.

The relative similarity among proposals being considered in two House committees this week signals that lawmakers are serious about attempting to hammer out a deal this year. Congressional negotiators are pushing to come to agreement on surprise billing by late May, when funding for a variety of health-care programs, such as for community health centers, must be reauthorized.

“This bill reflects a genuine compromise,” ...