Ban on "surprise" medical bills takes effect January 1st.

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Biden administration is putting final touches on long-sought consumer protections against so-called “surprise” medical bills. The ban on charges that hit insured patients at some of life’s most vulnerable moments will take effect Jan. 1. Patients will no longer have to worry about getting a huge bill following a medical crisis if the closest hospital emergency room happened to have been outside their insurance plan’s provider network. They’ll also be protected from unexpected charges if an out-of-network clinician takes part in a surgery or procedure conducted at an in-network hospital.

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