Texas lawmakers crack down on ‘surprise medical bills,’ tighten rules on freestanding ERs

San Antonio Express-News
By Laura Garcia
June 18, 2019

Under several new state laws, Texas patients could get relief from surprise medical bills and unscrupulous emergency care clinics.

Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation Friday prohibiting the widespread practice of “balance billing” in which an insured patient receives medical care from an out-of-network doctor at an in-network emergency room or facility, resulting in unexpectedly high bills. Continue reading…