releases: https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-bipartisan-bicameral-agreement-surprise-billing
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-bipartisan-bicameral-agreement-surprise-billing | Greg Walden Announces Bipartisan, Bicameral Agreement on Surprise Billing | 2019-12-09 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | OR | Greg Walden | W000791 | walden.house.gov | legacy | Click here or on the image above to watch Rep. Walden's video message. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released a video statement after the Senate and House reached a bipartisan agreement on legislation tostop surprise medical bills: "We've made real progress on stopping surprise billing. This is where you follow the rules, you pay your insurance premium, you think you're covered in your hospital or at the emergency room only to find out that somebody has contracted something out and it's no longer in the network, that has to stop," said Walden."One out of five Americans, according to some studies, get a surprise bill that they have to pay out of pocket when they go to an emergency room. Congress has stepped up to do something about it in a bipartisan way, Republicans and Democrats, House and Senate, have come together in an effort that I have led to stop surprise billing. That legislation hopefully will move to the process soon, before the end of the year and we can give certainty and protection to consumers and stop the rip-offs that are occurring today in the healthcare system." Earlier this year, Walden introduced the No Surprises Actwhich would put an end to the practice of surprise medical billing. The legislation unanimously passed out of theEnergy and Commerce Committee. Now, with a bicameral, bipartisanagreement reached, the House can move forward with a vote on legislation to stop this unfair practice. Walden also recentlylaunched a bipartisan investigation into why we see surprise billing. The investigation comes as the problem of surprise billing ison the risein the United States, one in five emergency department visits and about nine percent of elective inpatient care at in-network health facilities results in a surprise bill. Recent reportsshowthat the vast majority of Americans-- eight in ten-- want Congress to pass legislation to end surprise billing. Learn more about the agreement to end surprise medical billing here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |