A bill that forbids surprise out-of-network billing by healthcare providers was passed on Tuesday by the Oregon legislature, according to the East Oregonian.
The ban on balance billing takes effect March 1, 2018. Patrick Allen, an Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services director, told the East Oregonian an out-of-network reimbursement framework will be established by the end of the year.
An Oregon bill targeting surprise billing gained approval in the House in April. After the Senate revised the bill to reflect a compromise between healthcare providers and consumer advocates, the House approved the bill 47-10.
Once the ban takes effect, patients who receive care at in-network facilities will only receive bills at in-network rates, while insurance companies and healthcare providers work out the remainder of the reimbursement.