{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-bennet-tillis-introduce-bill-to-improve-health-care-access-protect-seniors-from-unexpected-costs", "Wyden, Bennet, Tillis Introduce Bill to Improve Health Care Access, Protect Seniors from Unexpected Costs", "2023-10-18", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", "wyden", "https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "Amid National Mental Health Crisis, Senators\u2019 Bipartisan Legislation Would Improve Americans\u2019 Access to Health Care\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today joined U.S. Senators Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., in introducing legislation to ensure Medicare Advantage plans protect seniors from unexpected health care costs and maintain accurate provider directories.\n\n\u201cWhen Americans are purchasing and using their health insurance, they have the right to know whether their doctors are covered by that plan,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cToo often, seniors and families get health care whiplash when they sign up for a plan only to find out that their preferred doctor is out-of-network, or it\u2019s impossible to find a covered mental health care provider. This bipartisan legislation is a big step towards holding insurance companies accountable so their provider directories are accurate, and I\u2019ll be working hard to get it passed.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are experiencing a massive mental health crisis across America \u2013 but instead of getting the care they need, Coloradans tell me they\u2019re struggling to find timely care,\u201d said Bennet. \u201cCongress urgently needs to act to improve access to mental, behavioral, and physical health care across the country. Our bipartisan bill would make it easier for Colorado seniors to find and see providers covered by their health plan.\u201d\n\n\u201cFar too often, North Carolinians, especially seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage and those in need of mental health services, find themselves unable to access the care they need due to inaccurate provider directories,\u201d said Tillis. \u201cThis legislation ensures that consumers can access updated provider information enabling them to make informed decisions about their healthcare.\u201d\n\nMany seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage rely on their health plan\u2019s provider directory to find in-network physicians and practitioners, but inaccurate data can make it harder to find a provider or lead to unexpected costs. These inaccurate provider directories, known as \u201cghost networks\u201d often list providers which are not accepting new patients, or in some cases, are no longer in business. Ghost networks make it more difficult for patients to find in-network health care providers resulting in unexpected costs or delayed care for patients. This issue is especially pertinent in the mental and behavioral health fields.\n\nThe Requiring Enhanced & Accurate Lists of (REAL) Health Providers Act works to protect seniors from hidden costs and provide reliable care.\n\nSpecifically, the REAL Health Providers Act would:\n\nStrengthen requirements for Medicare Advantage plans to maintain accurate and updated provider directories;\n\nEnsure patients do not pay out-of-network costs for appointments with providers that were incorrectly listed in their plan\u2019s provider directory as in-network; and\n\nDirect Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to publish guidance for plans to maintain accurate provider directories.\n\nThe text of the bill is here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:43:12Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-bennet-tillis-introduce-bill-to-improve-health-care-access-protect-seniors-from-unexpected-costs"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4410773292183876, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}