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Senator Vitale Statement on Out-of-Network Bill

News Release 11/23/15

TRENTON – Senator Joseph F. Vitale, chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, issued the following statement on the advancement of the Out-of-network Consumer Protection, Transparency, Cost Containment and Accountability Act, a bill he is sponsoring. The bill, an Assembly Committee Substitute for A-4444/S-20, which advanced through the Assembly Finance and Insurance Committee today, aims to promote transparency and advance consumer protection by requiring full disclosure of out-of-network health care charges.

“Over the past few months, we have engaged in vigorous conversations with various stakeholders, including members of the insurance and hospital industries and consumer and business groups, who are just as committed as I am to ensuring New Jersey’s health care consumers are protected and don’t fall into the trap of inadvertent out-of-network use and balance billing.

Along with my Assembly counterparts sponsoring the bill, I am now confident that we have a piece of legislation that will advance through both houses before the end of this legislative session that eliminates surprise out-of-network health care charges and provides greater transparency, full disclosure, and ultimately consumer protection for New Jersey residents.

“People are being forced to choose between paying off medical bills that they never expected to receive or paying their necessary everyday expenses like rent, mortgage, and food. It’s not a fair choice to have to make.

“New Jersey consumers need to know what they’re getting into, before non-emergent out-of-network medical services are provided, so they can make informed choices rather than being arm-wrestled into damaging debt.”

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