An Act to protect health care consumers from surprise billing

This bill aims to shield Massachusetts residents from unexpected, high medical bills that often occur when they receive care from out-of-network providers. It seeks to ensure transparency and fairness in healthcare billing practices, particularly in emergency situations and when patients are not given advance notice of potential out-of-network costs. The legislation intends to reduce the financial burden on consumers who may be unaware they are facing surprise bills. It focuses on preventing situations where patients are unexpectedly charged significantly more for healthcare services than they would have paid if they had received care from an in-network provider.