NAFEC President Rob Morris Testifies at Congress’ Ways & Means Committee Hearing
On March 18th, NAFEC President and CEO of Complete Care, Rob Morris, was invited by the House Ways & Means Committee to testify at their field hearing in Denton, Texas on “Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care.” Morris’ written and oral testimony offered improvement considerations related to implementation of the No Surprises Act and highlighted the significant reimbursement challenges facing emergency care providers. His testimony also provided insight on the attributes of state-licensed freestanding emergency centers (FECs) and steps the industry has taken to improve emergency care and protect patients. There was extensive discussion around improving access to care in rural America and the untapped potential of FECs. Congressional leaders were able to review data points related to FEC performance, including an actuarial analysis demonstrating how FECs saved taxpayers 21.2% compared to hospital ERs when treating Medicare beneficiaries during the public health emergency.
Several Members of Congress directed questions to Morris regarding Medicare recognition and the ability of FECs to impact rural emergency care. There was discussion on how FECs reduced Medicare spending compared to hospital encounters for patients with similar acuity, how physician ownership of hospitals and sites of service influence care, and how FECs differ from rural emergency hospitals. Morris was also able to clarify that FECs are required to comply with Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act regulations (EMTALA). There was additional testimony regarding the qualifying payment amounts being submitted by insurers, high administrative fees associated with the Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process, and other challenges associated with the implementation of the No Surprises Act.
During and after the hearing, several members of the Committee expressed interest in supporting the Emergency Care Improvement Act (H.R. 1694) and expanding the use of freestanding emergency centers. NAFEC is currently carrying out follow-up discussions to ensure these Members are added as co-sponsors to the bill.
NAFEC’s inclusion in the hearing was an outstanding opportunity to raise the profile of the association and our policy priorities. Morris did a fantastic job speaking on behalf of the industry and NAFEC will continue educating Members on freestanding emergency care, advocating for H.R. 1694, and striving to make improvements to the IDR process.