Texas legislation against surprise billing goes into effect

Kaiser Health News reported on legislation in Texas against surprise medical billing going into effect at the beginning of this year. Kaiser Health News called the legislation "one of the strongest laws in the nation against surprise medical bills."

The Texas Medical Board (made up of healthcare providers) drafted rules in respect to the legislation. The board took what was meant to be a narrow suggestion (patients selecting a specific out-of-network provider and signing a waiver to the legislation) and apparently proposed recommending that all non-emergency providers require patients to sign such a waiver, thus subverting the intent of the law. While such a move might be in the short-term financial interests of its members, the move undermines the credibility of the board, at least in terms of whatever general public interest it might have proclaimed.